Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World
by ReavesTheReader
Summary: Save the world? Psshhh. Creation god Ehito? PSSSHHHH. Magic and Monsters? PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHIT Just let me go home! (Working Summary. This is an OC. Bear with me.)
1. Chapter 1

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 1: Similar Bad Day, Different Main Character**

So everyone has bad days. Sometimes, the ones with perfect attendances miss the alarm and get up late once. Other days, the guy who doesn't make his own lunch forgets to buy one from the nearby convenience store. Or maybe, there was the time when the class dunce actually did his homework for once but forgot to bring it, causing him to end up having to convince the teacher that he did do it, but Sensei just stares at him in disappointment, chalking up the explanation as another cheap excuse before giving a telling off with added detention.

Even to someone as normal as I. Like that time I went out for a walk, accidentally broke my glasses, forgot my spare, got lost and endured the rain on what should have been a perfectly sunny day.

Bad days happen to everyone occasionally, one way or another. It's only natural. No one is perfect or born that lucky to not have a single bad day ever.

Only, why did everyone had to have their bad day today?

* * *

RIIIIIIING~~~—CLACK

The door opens just as the last bell rings. At precisely that moment, when everyone in the room saw who just so graciously arrived in the classroom almost late, the atmosphere staled. I didn't flinch from the sudden chill emanating from the girls. Nor did I at the boys' murderous glares. I had gotten used to this by now. Sadly, the same could not be said for the receiver of said glares.

Nagumo Hajime. By all accounts, a typical Japanese teenager. A bit on the average side in terms of appearance and not much could be said for his build as it seems he wasn't the type to work out. Not assertive or the like, but he wasn't an anti-social recluse. Having spoken to him a few times, I would say he was a good guy.

"Hey, nasty otaku!"

I narrowed my eyes to the ones who spoke.

Hiyama Daisuke. Long hair that covers one of his eyes. A face that would actually look decent if he just wiped the arrogant, shit-eating grin off of it. Maybe would have been nice to socialize with if he didn't look like he was going to talk down to you from the height of his ego.

Regardless of this, three others were always in his posse whenever he wanted to bully Nagumo. Namely Saitou, Kondou, and Nakano. I had missed the class introduction during the first day of the school year and only picked up their surnames over the past few weeks through the class roll call. And, sadly, they never really had anything distinctive about them so I get mixed up on which face had which name.

If this was one of those cheap light novels, Hiyama Daisuke would be the template antagonist that picks on the main character because of a superiority complex, jealousy or something similar while the posse would be just that, the faceless background characters. Or was it a "mob chara"?

"Played games all night again? I wonder, an eroge?" "Ugh, gross. Staying up all night to play eroge?" "Disgusting."

And there they go again. Another day with the same scene. Them picking on a guy and his chosen hobby. From the past two weeks of being part of the class, this exchange had already begun to grow old.

I wonder, was there any reason to make fun of someone for their hobby?

First off, I already know that Nagumo Hajime liked cartoons, anime, and the like. Hard not to when the same four picked on him about it every day. I had also heard that his father and mother worked in the business of game developing and manga respectively. Not from him or the bullies, no. I overheard the girls talking behind his back about how disgusting his parents should be to have spawned him.

Quite rude. It'd be like saying I enjoyed playing in the dirt and mud because mom worked as an archeologist. Which I don't, of course. I like history just as much as she does, but that's beside the point of children's appearances taking after their parents' jobs.

The thing about anime and manga, though. As a teen, I'm aware that liking those things will seem weird to others. I should know I'm weird. My past friends wondered why I enjoyed the 'childish' games our grandparents sent us through mail. Hell, both my younger siblings called me that when I enjoyed watching Super Sentai and reading the Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon manga with them.

What can I say other than even I get bored from indulging in my history buff hobby? Also, enjoying stuff like that with your younger siblings shouldn't be weird. We all had fun posing as their favorite characters and playing pretend. In fact, I should be awarded "Best Big Brother of the World" for my making sure siblings were always smiling! Ah, I'm such a great oniicha—! Ahem…

Going back to the problem at hand, Hiyama was making fun of Nagumo for liking games too.

Why was that? Was it really frowned upon? Does that form of entertainment actually disgust people? I know more than a handful of foreigners enjoy them though. When I introduced my American friends to the bullet hell games made by Zoom, Zoon?, we ended up competing high scores. They loved it so much, they explored other game genres specifically from Japan. Needless to say, they found eroge too and decided to spend a vacation trip just to visit that thing called Comiket. It's been two years and they still do it.

And my siblings call me weird… Really now…

I'm getting off track again. But back to Hiyama and co.

If they were disgusted by Nagumo's choice of games, I'd accept it if they did something better or more worthwhile. But what exactly did these guys do for their pastime, I wonder? Certainly not sports. During last week's PE class, they avoided running laps or playing ball by hiding behind the bushes or feigning sickness to laze about in the infirmary. And if they spent their free time sifting through porn mags like the average teenage boy (I should know. I'm one too.), wouldn't that just make them just as "disgusting" as they made Nagumo out to be?

But maybe that really wasn't the case. Maybe I already knew the real reason they picked on the poor guy. In Hiyama's case, it was a bit too obvious. No way anyone would miss it.

If you'd look closely, one would notice he kept the arrogant look whenever they teased Nagumo, laughing and jeering as they call him perverted and the like. But only when a specific someone pops in does the arrogance quickly shifts to annoyance (or was it jealousy?).

And that was when she decided to pop in her usual greeting.

"Nagumo-kun, good morning! Almost late again, as usual. You really should come earlier."

Shirasaki Kaori. A class idol, well, maybe the entire school for that matter. Beautiful was an understatement. Waist-length glossy black hair, gentle and kind brown eyes. A straight nose and thin lips that wouldn't look out of place on a gorgeous doll. The template main heroine, or bishoujo if I were to use the light-novel-metaphor again.

Good natured and caring, has a strong sense of responsibility with an eternal smile. As for why she concerned herself with him, it may have been something natural for her to show concern over her classmates. Or maybe she had affections for Nagumo. Maybe she found him in need of help and is trying to do just that. I wasn't sure myself, but at least she was sincere in showing she cared. Honestly if she wasn't oblivious to the unintentional problems she caused Nagumo, she would be the perfect girl, in a sense.

That's right. Unbeknownst to this girl, almost all the boys in the room, and some in the hallway, grit their teeth and send death glares at Nagumo's back. Some, specifically Hiyama, more murderous than others. And this happened every single day. Mind you, only when she approaches him as it is never the other way around. Had their teacher need something passed to Shirasaki, someone would automatically volunteer for the job, and it was never Nagumo for obvious reasons.

From what I had observed, a majority of the boys treated him with envy and spite because he received such attention from the school's idol. The girls, on the other hand, were indifferent, with the harshest of theirs passing around a rumor that Nagumo was taking advantage of her kind nature.

It couldn't be more groundless unless it was in the middle of the vacuum of space!

From my understanding, Nagumo was typically average. But he was aware of what everyone thought of him. Knowing that fact, he does not do anything to correct it. Rather, he can't. It was beyond his control what Shirasaki would do or why she would approach him. The fact that almost everyone in the class had such derogatory perspectives more than just shocked me as soon as I found out about it.

And the teachers just let it happen, too!

More than once, I noticed them look the other way when Nagumo was treated poorly, the exception being their social studies, also homeroom, teacher who was currently not present.

Had I known this was how horrible Japanese high schools were, I would have begged dad to never send me or my siblings back here. At least there was one good news. Only I returned to Japan for secondary education. No way would I let my precious siblings ever get corrupted by such foul, incorrigible— Ahem.

Well, back to reality.

The only boy in Shirasaki's sights looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He looked like he didn't know how to reply without getting shot. Noting the many lasers (glares) targeting his back, something at a scale that he could probably feel the gazes, even an outsider transfer student like I could understood it was bad.

"… ah, good morning to you too, Shirasaki-san."

The words were there but the face contorted in discomfort. Just by looking, you could tell he was socially awkward. He replied normally when either a teacher or someone without malicious intentions spoke to him directly. But the beautiful girl was probably too much. That and the repercussions of even trying to be friendly in response.

"Nagumo-kun, good morning. Isn't this hard on you every day?"

"Kaori, are you looking after him again? Really now, you're too nice."

"Doesn't matter what you say to someone as unenthusiastic as that guy, it won't help any."

And the finale of the cliché: the beautiful girl's posse of popular kids.

Maybe I've read too many light novels, but this can only be as, if not more, cliché that can be. Popular girl with popular friends. Each just as amazing as the other in their own unique way. Albeit, only one carried an air of sympathy while the other two indifference. Might as well go over them again before class starts. Starting from the one with the best impression to the least.

Yaegashi Shizuku. Ponytail, a cool gaze from sharp yet soothing eyes, taller than average for a girl and a bit on the athletic side. A proper individual with the modicum of respect for others. Best friends with Shirasaki as far as I know and the only one to acknowledge Nagumo's existence by greeting him when he was "bothered" by Shirasaki.

I heard she and her family were famous masters of a local dojo. Kendo? Or was it Kenjutsu? Her fame was pretty much out there though, judging by the number of fans that come to greet her upon entering the school. Surprisingly, she attracted both sides of the sexes. Huh. A cool beauty indeed. Shirasaki's equal, in a sense.

At the very least, she didn't talk down on Nagumo, so she was a better person compared to the majority of the class. A positive in my book.

Next up, Sakagami Ryutarou. "A bear given human form" is all I can say about his figure, what with him standing just a bit over 6 feet. The last person to speak up, he practically dissed Nagumo in front of the dude. Rude, yes, but I overheard from others that he was the type to honor hard work and effort. Maybe he saw Nagumo's bland existence as nothing more than a waste of space and resources.

Not quite indifferent, but at least he didn't do it out of something petty like jealousy. Also, the guy gave me the impression of a hot-blooded, fitness freak. Like that Stone Lee from that ninja anime my little brother loves so much. So a passable score, as long as he isn't forcing his motivations and hot-bloodedness on others.

And, lastly, Amanogawa Kouki. If I were to put it into words, he would be "the main protagonist of the typical hero show". Polite, good-looking, smart and athletic to boot. Also, has a strong sense of justice. The perfect guy, so to speak. Popular with guys as he could easily get along with the majority of them. Popular with girls for the, what was it called, "ikemen vibe" he lets off. Still, with the company he keeps, mainly the two stunning Yaegashi and Shirasaki, it was no wonder very few ever picked up the courage to get intimately close to him.

He was the one to berate Shirasaki for being too nice to Nagumo. On one hand, I can understand his concern. From what I've gathered, he had been childhood friends with Yaegashi who in turn was close friends with Shirasaki. This meant he was a close friend of hers as well by proxy, so I can see why he has a bad opinion of Nagumo who was rumored to be taking advantage of his friend's kind nature.

But then again, from where I stand, Nagumo doesn't seem to enjoy Shirasaki's presence.

Seeing as how Yaegashi appears to be apologetic to him whenever the school goddess was pestering him, even she understood Nagumo's plight but couldn't do anything to help but express regret for her friend's behavior. This means Nagumo couldn't reject Shirasaki's kindness. And as she never showed any signs of being forced into it, Shirasaki was honest with her intentions.

This means Amanogawa Kouki doesn't see Shirasaki Kaori's actions for Nagumo as some genuine expression of her affections, but rather something done out of obligation. An obligation that she need not be burdened with if Nagumo wasn't so pitiful. He just saw Nagumo as in the wrong for accepting Shirasaki's kindness.

If he was correct in that assumption, I'd be inclined to believe him. But he was dead wrong.

Amanogawa Kouki was blind to Shirasaki's feelings. He also ignored Hiyama's, and the rest of the class', animosity towards Nagumo. Lastly, the rumor that Nagumo was taking advantage of Shirasaki's kindness was further accepted by all since Amanogawa himself firmly believed in it. He didn't see Nagumo as someone in need of help. As he was blind to the signs, there was no way he could.

Perhaps, he didn't mean any harm and was only advising Nagumo out of the goodness of his heart. It may just be that he was an oblivious idiot who thought he understood everything and came to the wrong conclusion. But such a person, so unaware of his surroundings yet carrying influence enough to sway people's opinion?

It was like a blind, self-righteous shepherd trying to lead the sheep, even though some of them were wolves disguised and tearing into the weakest of the herd.

Quite a farfetched assumption, coming from someone who only recently transferred to the class, but this is as far as I could gather from observation alone.

And it disappointed me. Wait, no. Not disappointment. It creeped me out. From what I've read in history books from my mother's study and all the culture and history trivia I engrossed myself in over the years, I was always disgusted by the thought of some ignorant central figure leading his own people, those that trust him and those too scared to make their own decisions, into a downward spiral.

It didn't paint an impressive picture of the guy to me. Of a seemingly perfect leader actually thinking like an idealistic child.

Well, maybe I just thought too deeply about it. I guess I should stop reading mom's "Leaders of History" too late into the night. Imprinting those images of grandeur to what was just a teenager was the product of sleep deprivation. Maybe I should delve into architecture again.

Even with my musings and farfetched assumptions, the sad scene continued to play out before the rest of the class.

"Good morning to you too, Yaegashi-san, Amanogawa-kun, Sakagami-kun. Haha. Well, there's no helping it. I'm the one at fault."

Despite the bitter smile on Nagumo's face, his frustration in not being able to do anything about it was clear. At least to me, it was. It didn't help any that Nagumo didn't stand up for himself or deny the insinuation at all.

"If you know you are at fault, why not try fixing it? You should stop taking advantage of her kindness. Kaori can't keep helping you forever."

Then again, could Amanogawa possibly be blind to Nagumo's plight? Or is he just ignoring it? If he believes in the rumor spread by the others, then quite possibly, he believes he's in the absolute right to reprimand Nagumo as Shirasaki's kind intentions are wasted on someone as shameful as him.

And what does he mean by "try fixing it"? Nagumo's pitiful position? His hobbies and lifestyle? Or Shirasaki's affection towards him? Does this guy not understand that "fixing it" is impossible without disappearing or having Shirasaki change her attitude outright?

All these questions just caused me a migraine.

There was no doubt in my mind that Nagumo would rather be anywhere but near of Shirasaki who unconditionally showered him with her attention. Denying her, however, would still put him in a bad spot, being seen as arrogance by the girl's fans. Explaining anything to Amanogawa might as well just be akin to making excuses. He saw himself as in the right. It'd be hard to convince anyone with that mindset.

"Ahaha…"

Nagumo could only shrug it off with a laugh. No one was going to take his side of the argument or defend him in anyway. Well, at least it couldn't get any worse—

"Kouki-kun, what are you even saying? I'm just talking to Nagumo-kun because I want to."

Ah. Well this was a bomb if I ever heard one.

No sooner had Shirasaki spoken her desire to approach Nagumo did the entire classroom erupt with murmurs, mixed with curses and silent death threats.

Kind as she was, the angel of the school was such an airhead to not notice the seething air directed at Nagumo. I could only sigh internally for what awaited Nagumo.

'Should I intervene—?' No! No.

This is not your problem. And even if it was, there'd be nothing you could do.

I breathed in. Then I sighed.

.

.

.

Call me hypocritical, but I do not want to carelessly invite trouble. With only my grandparents to take care of me as the rest of my family are off abroad, I shouldn't trouble them anymore than I already have. If I get into trouble at school, what would happen if they called in my aging guardians? Gramps was already way past what you'd call the retirement age. If he went into shock because of some trouble I got into, it would be seriously bad.

That's an excuse and you know it.

Mom would be more understanding. Dad would probably kick my ass for inadvertently killing his parents.

Attempting to help is better than being indifferent.

And if my siblings heard about it—oh god.

"I hate Aniki! Aniki is a murderer!" "Oniisama killed Ojiisama and Obaasama. Uwah—uwaaaahhhhh!"

No! Daiki, Hanami, your precious Oniichan would never hurt a fly! A cockroach, maybe, but Oniichan would never hurt anyone on purpose! I swear! Please forgive Oniichaaaa—! AHEM…

I silenced the voices and thoughts in my head.

.

.

.

And made my choice.

.

.

.

Sorry, Nagumo. You're on your own.

RIIIIIIIING~~~

Just as I was deep in thought, the bell had already rung and the morning class' teacher had already entered the room and began taking attendance.

Sakagami, already in his seat, was blocking the poor Taniguchi Suzu's view of the chalkboard. Amanogawa sat two seats away, diligently facing forward. Shirasaki and Yaegashi sat next to each other but neither paid attention to the teacher.

However, Nagumo, who had the misfortune of sitting to Shirasaki's left sat down and immediately fell asleep on his desk while facing out the window, away from his cursed angel. Much to his chagrin, the angel herself kept her gaze on the poor boy with a warm smile plastered on her beautiful face. Yaegashi just directed her own apologetic one to his back. Neither of them noticed the disgust or irritation the rest of the class directed at Nagumo Hajime for the blessings he received.

If you'd at least say something, anything, he wouldn't have to suffer…

.

.

.

No…

As an outsider, I have no business defending him or the rest of the class. All I could do was pray that his day, and all that would follow, gets better.

Oh, was that a flag I raised? Ahahaha, nonsense! Life wasn't a light novel. Reality isn't as unpredictable as fiction.

* * *

"—also, in a majority of the countries I've had the pleasure to live visit, English is considered a secondary language."

I finished stating my answer but didn't sit down just yet. I've learned from the previous week that one shouldn't sit until the teacher was done with their questions. However, my reasons for staying up was more out of respect for the current teacher than formality.

"Could you please give us examples, Yamamoto-kun?"

"Certainly. In many European countries, English is spoken by the majority, particularly from Germany and the Netherlands all the way to the Scandinavian nations such as Norway and Sweden. In Asia, India has one of the largest English-speaking populations. They are joined by Pakistan and Bangladesh. South Africa and the entirety of Australia are included as they used to be British colonies. As for the Oceanic region, the Philippines, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and many of the Pacific island chains either have English as a secondary language or at least a compulsory education."

"You've been to all those countries while still so young? You must have learned a lot about different cultures thanks to your mother's occupation. Thank you, Yamamoto-kun. You may sit back down."

Giving a nod in response, I watched as the seemingly youngest teacher resumed the lesson on the relevance of diverse languages to the Japanese youth.

With her energetic character, she tried to stress how seriously important it is to at least know the basics of a commonly used foreign language. But considering her stature and childish appearance, it only served to make her out as a child pretending to be an adult.

I had ample time to notice the gazes of several girls in the class that looked upon the educator as one would an adorable puppy or kitten. Truth be told, I was relieved I didn't make the mistake of assuming her to be a lost child. Landing on the bad side of a teacher, this class' homeroom one at that, immediately after transferring would have been the worst.

"Now that we are clear on that, does anyone have any questions?" Looking in my direction, she quickly added. "How about you Yamamoto-kun? You've been away from Japan for most of your life. Anything you might want to ask?"

"None at the moment, Hatayama-sensei. Thank you for your concern. If I do have any in the future, I'll be sure to consult you for advice."

"Eh?! Ah! Very well, Yamamoto-kun. Sensei will be waiting. It is sensei's duty to help my precious students, so please don't hesitate to call on me if you require aid!"

Having replied in such a formal manner, including a small bow and smile at the end, Hatayama-sensei stuttered in surprise, but gathered herself immediately and responded like a child happy to be relied upon.

Hatayama Aiko. A teacher with a small stature. Standing at 4'7", one would mistake her for a middle schooler at best and maybe a tall elementary schooler at worst. Despite looking like a child and being as energetic as one, she still composed herself as a reliable adult.

Although, her choice of words and actions could have been a little less misleading.

"Oh? The transfer student hitting on Ai-chan-sensei is effective."

"Ohoho? Ai-chan is so devoted to transfer-kun. Isn't it too early to start acting so romantic?"

"They've barely known each other for a month and sensei's already offering her all for Yamamoto-kun."

"Ara ara, Ai-chan-sensei is soooo cute!"

"Pfft—!" This was normal. The others teasing the poor teacher, not me hitting on her. But despite it being a light jab at the adorable instructor I wanted to show respect to, I couldn't help but stifle a laugh as well.

"Ah?! Is transfer-kun admitting he was seducing sensei all along?!"

"Yamamoto-kun, you shouldn't mislead sensei. You'll hurt her feelings."

"That's right! Ai-chan-sensei is everyone's Ai-chan-sensei!"

I couldn't stop the grin on my face. They said it as if to scold me, but all I could do was grin in amusement. So as to not let Ai-chan-sen— AHEM, I mean, Hatayama-sensei see my betrayal, I turned away and chuckled to myself.

But apparently, Hatayama Aiko hadn't gotten used to this form of teasing at all, judging by her response.

"That's wrong! Don't mistakenly assume sensei's intentions just from sensei wanting to help Yamamoto-kun! I'm telling you! Sensei is not like that! Yamamoto-kun, don't misunderstand sensei's feelings, okay?!"

'Sorry, Hatayama-sensei. There's no way I can help you out.' I kept that thought to myself as sensei started scolding the ones who pushed the issue to her embarrassment.

All the while, I looked towards the window. Such a quiet day, I thought. I also noticed others were taking advantage of it in their own way. Although, sleeping in class was never on my list of 'ways to enjoy the day' but silence without the aura of condemnation seemed to be something Nagumo needed.

.

.

.

No. Don't think on it.

I returned my attention to Hatayama-sensei as Nagumo Hajime slept like a babe until the end of class.

* * *

RIIIIIIIING~~~

Fourth period had just ended. It was now lunch break. Even though it was supposedly a time for students to relax and do what they wish for an hour, I was kind of disappointed social studies had concluded. Not because I wanted the entire class to resume teasing Hatayama-sensei. I actually enjoyed listening to how the Japanese secondary level of education took foreign studies.

Being so different from the other classes I've attended in India, the Philippines, Germany and many others, the perspectives in cultural differences was astounding. Sometimes, amusing. Like how many didn't think Indians actually spoke English as a second language. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if they knew other languages besides it, seeing as mom's friend had a family with members working in call centers. Surprising and actually fun.

No wonder mom enjoyed archeology and traveling the world. Learning about other cultures, past or present, was enjoyable in its own right.

Guuurrrg~~~

But never mind that, I was starving.

Takin out a box wrapped in a large handkerchief, I placed it on my desk. Then, I pulled out my disposable chopsticks and set it on the side. I don't normally use them. I had grown accustomed to using forks and typical western table utensils, but grandma suggested I use chopsticks for the lunch, or bento, she prepared for me.

However, I failed to notice that other students were rushing out the door, most likely heading for the store to buy yakisoba sandwiches or sweet breads. Next thing I know, my chopsticks had fallen to the floor a little way in front of me. I could only sigh at my carelessness.

I was about to get up to pick the fallen utensils, but to my astonishment, they weren't on the floor. Looking around, they weren't anywhere near where I knew they fell to. Getting up to look around, I instantly found them. They were back on my desk.

I was puzzled for but a moment, but considering who sat in front of me, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

"Thanks, Endou-kun."

"Eh?" The boy in question turned to look at me in surprise. "You noticed that, Yamamoto-kun?"

I politely smiled in response.

"Who else could it be than the resident of the seat before me? Is it so strange to assume it was Endou Kousuke and not the others who are currently absent from my neighboring seats?"

Well, I would've assumed it was either Nagayama Jugo or Nomura Kentarou. But both had just launched themselves from their seats to get to the store early. The only thing I heard were mutterings of a possibly packed queue they were planning to avoid. But saying that outright might be a bit too much. After all, Endou seemed to be glad I noticed him. Or maybe he's shocked. Either way, it would be a shame if I ruined the moment.

It was as if he assumed I never saw him in the first place, or that I thought him invisible. Well, I'm not gonna lie. This guy had a weak presence.

If I had to use the light-novel-metaphor, Endou Kousuke was like one of those background characters that, forget a face, didn't even have coloring. Just a rough outline in the crowd.

"Nobody's ever noticed me first before…"

"Well they must have bad eyesight. Or maybe weak perception." I casually joked, but Endou started looking at me like a madman with a desperate smile on his face.

"How?! How could you have noticed me? Automatic doors only notice me 1/3 times. Even my family forgets I exist! You even remembered my full name. How?!"

'Dude, how have you survived all your life—?!' No, no. Let's not ask something as insensitive as that.

"First of all, calm down, Endou-kun. Everyone can practically see you now."

"Ah, sorry."

Collecting himself, Endou hadn't noticed he was shaking me by the shoulders. Eyes burning with longing, wanting to know my secrets.

"Secondly, want to join me in lunch? It must be lonely, being left out of during lunch I mean."

He agreed. Soon, we were both sat facing each other, lunches between us. Everyone else had gone back to what they were doing. Perhaps it was due to his thin presence or whatever curse he had, no one bothered to see if there was anything wrong as they all perceived 'nothing' was wrong.

I furrowed my brows at this thought. It would be pitiful to say that not one person saw Endou as anything more than empty space.

"Well, to explain how, it's hard not to notice you when I am well aware you exist." He tilted his head. II guess I needed to elaborate.

"Do you know the concept of "nothing"?" At the shaking of his head, I continued. "It's basically the pronoun subject that denotes "the absence of something". In applying it to you, I understand that there is an empty seat before me."

He cringed at that.

"However, I also understand that someone should be sitting in that seat, otherwise, I would have been assigned to it the moment I got into this class. Therefore, since I know someone must sit there and no one I perceive actually is sitting there, something I don't perceive is already sitting in that seat."

He had a dumbstruck face that basically told me he didn't understand a thing, maybe a little but not all. So I decided to throw him a bone.

"Well, maybe it's that or because I checked the class seating list every day to make sure the seat in front of mine wasn't actually inhabited by a ghost."

Something crashed on the floor. Noting that no one else reacted, it was probably Endou as he picked himself off the floor.

"Are you seriously joking me right now?"

If that was Endou-kun's attempt at a tsukkomi, it carried a very weak impact, probably due to his presence.

Bad jokes aside, I chuckled.

"Actually, no. I did see you as I sat in my seat and noted you barely had any presence despite being there. For one, I really thought your seat was haunted, but seeing as you are good friends with Nagayama-kun and Kentarou-kun, I found proof that you weren't actually a ghost."

He seemed to believe me after explaining. But, he still deserved a compliment.

"You make a very convincing one though."

I added with a teasing grin. He simply snorted and chuckled in his own seat as he took out his own bento.

I popped open the box my grandmother prepared for me. It was a simple meal. Except for the volume. Two dozen or so pieces of nigiri and maki, the former seafood topping the rice and the latter filling with rice wrapped in seaweed, arranged neatly in rows along the left side, karaage, or fried chicken, to the upper right corner, about eight round pieces each the size of an eraser, and lastly, stir-fried vegetables tucked away in the lower right.

"Interesting bento…" muttered Endou. "Quite a lot too.."

"Obaasama made it for me." I replied. He still made a surprised face that expected I wouldn't respond. I just smiled. "She really wanted me to taste the culinary culture of Japan. Y'know, having lived in other countries for most my life and all."

"Oh, that's right. You just recently transferred…"

I nodded back.

"Does that mean this is how much you normally eat?"

He asked me with an incredulous look on his face. Maybe it's because I grew up away from Japan were meals aren't normally this grand or large. Or maybe it was expected, seeing as there are a lot of countries were eating a lot was considered the norm. America had been that way, in most cases.

"Normally, lunches would be served as a cup of rice and one or two main dishes of small sizes. At least, that was how my parents brought me up while growing up abroad."

I snapped the disposable chopsticks from the connected endpoint, pulling off would-be splinters before skillfully holding them with my right hand.

"'Simple is best' is what my parents say. But as soon as I started staying at my grandparents' home, the meals just kept getting bigger. I guess it's because they really want to spoil their grandchild, but I had to get Obaasama to promise on cutting down the bento size in exchange for eating all her cooking during dinner."

And boy, do I regret that. Her cooking was great. Amazing even. But the sheer volume of it all was enough to make me sick. I'm surprised Ojiisama hasn't died early.

My exasperation must've been obvious as Endou chuckled at my expense.

"Hey, Yamamoto-kun—"

"Eichirou." Endou stopped and gaped for a second. Most likely unsure as to what I just said. Soo I added. "'Yamamoto' is too long and formal. Call me 'Eichirou'."

"Then, Eichirou-kun," he paused, seemingly waiting for my say if it was alright to continue. I simply smiled and nodded. "Likewise, call me Kousuke."

"Then, Kousuke-kun, wanna have some?" I gestured to the packed bento box before me. "I can't exactly eat a lot for now, seeing as I probably won't be able to reject my promise with Obaasama later."

He refused of course. Politely at that. But I kept pestering him to take some, stating that it was because I would need the bowel space later. He finally acquiesced and enjoyed Obaasama's special karaage. Soon after, Nagayama and Nomura returned from the battlefield known as the lunch store. Seeing as they only got out with bean paste buns (panpan? anban?), I offered them a portion of my bento as well.

It's not like I was greedy for my grandmother's cooking in the first place. So why not share it with new friends.

After a while, we ended up finishing my grandmother's cooking. And feeling stuffed, we broke out into small talk. Mostly about where I've travelled to, what kind of schools I've studied in, and the usual chicks I picked up during my time as an overseas Japanese teenager. Typical adolescent stuff.

Eventually, they got to learn more about me and the places I've been than I had about them. Funnily enough, I learned I was the eldest by a year with everyone else roughly at the age of seventeen, but they didn't need to know that.

On my right side, Nomura Kentarou. Friendly, not really eye-catching or athletic. Smart though, as far as first impressions go. Also, he keeps sneaking glances to the front, towards a group of girls eating their own meal and chatting amongst themselves. I decided to probe.

"So, Kentarou -kun."

"What's up, Eichin?"

A nickname just a few minutes after getting to know one another. He must be great with chatting up girls, or so I internally mused.

"Anyone you're interested in? Specifically, within the class?"

"Eh, ah." At this point, he turns the other way, hand nervously scratching the back of his head. "Not particularly, no."

"Ara, is that so?" I replied with a surprised expression, or so it looks. Kousuke and Nagayama on the other hand have noticed my eyes darting between Nomura and a specific girl in the front group, the one who Nomura was sneaking glances at yet again. So obvious. "Are you really not interested in anyone? And here I thought you already had someone in mind."

"Wha—what makes you say that, Eichin?!"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" I glanced to Nagayama who sat on my left. "When you asked me what kind of foreigners I had dated before just a while ago, Kentarou-kun was the only one who wasn't interested, wasn't he, Jugo-kun?"

Nagayama Jugo. Distinctive feature is that he was seventeen but looked twenty-seven. Not that his appearance bothered him, mind you. In fact, among this trio, he had an air of confidence that made you feel you could rely on him to watch your back. The figurative expression, not the literal one. Out of the three before me, Nomura seemed the most fit and healthy with Nagayama filling the heavy yet tall side (still not as tall as Sakagami) and Endou the lean and seemingly fragile side (must be his thin presence).

Despite looking slightly older for his age, the grin he made when he understood my implications was proof enough of his youthful side.

"Well, Kentarou was always the type to hide it. Once during middle school, he tried writing a love letter. Not even a minute later ended up ripping it apart and burying it in his backyard."

"Whawawawawhat are you saying, Gochin?! Stop telling Eichin misleading things! It's a joke, Eichin. Don't take Gochin seriously. Aha Ahahah."

Even Endou wanted in on the action.

"Really, it's so painfully obvious. How many times has he looked over to—mmpph!"

"Ahahahahaha, did you hear anything, just now? Probably the wind, yeah? Ahahahah!"

Ah, Kousuke got pissed at being treated like air by one of his pals. Well, I guess its his turn to poke fun. Looking to me, we shared a not-obvious wink and as he escaped Nomura's grasp, he asked.

"Well, enough about Ken-chan. What about you, Eichirou-kun? You've been here for a few weeks now. Anyone caught your eye?"

I played along, as planned.

"Yes, I have actually. She's from our class too."

"Ahahahahaha, really? That's great. Wonderful." Happy to have escaped inquisition, the nervously laughing Nomura relaxed and sighed in relief as he drank some water. "And? Who's the lucky girl?"

I prepped my grandmother's bento's handkerchief as well as my own and whispered in reply.

"Tsuji Ayako-san."

The spray of water never hit me. I had already backed away for dear safety. Endou seemed to vanish from his seat as Nomura sprayed across the desk. Sadly, Nagayama was unable to react in time and was left to tank the barrage.

The area around the three of us, MIA Endou, fell silent as a few of the other students backed away from the spraying waterspout that was Nomura Kentarou and the plumber that forcefully shut the spout with a fist to the chin that was Nagayama Jugo. As soon as the spray disappeared, I handed the largest of my handkerchiefs to Nagayama.

"My bad. I should have signaled you."

The large guy took my apology and shot an irritated, yet somehow amused, grin to the other on the floor.

"It was just a joke, Kentarou-kun. Overreacting like that is bad for your health, y'know."

Carefully picking him up, I apologized to Nomura as well. The look on his face as I gave him my other handkerchief said I was safe for now. Maybe I should ask Obaasama for an extra-large meal tomorrow to make up for it.

As soon as both Nomura and Nagayama had dried off with the help of my handkerchiefs, Endou appeared out of thin air. He was dry, impressively so, as I assumed he used the air itself to shield himself from the misfire. Just a few minutes later, we were back to chatting and making jokes about Nomura's secret interest.

"Really now. Taking jokes too far is bad, y'know?"

"Really sorry about that Kentarou-kun. I just missed teasing my friends from my last school." I smiled apologetically while bowing my head slightly. "But to be fair, you were too obvious about it. Even Kousuke-kun noticed and he couldn't even see Tsuji-san from here."

"Nah, I actually noticed for quite a while now." Endou's smirk towards Nomura was a very telling sign of just how long he'd known. Nomura had turned as pink as sakura blossoms. "Ever since the entrance ceremony, that is."

"Ahahaha. That's just like Kentarou." A hearty laugh from Nagayama caused me to jump slightly in my seat. Didn't expect the old-man-look-a-like to laugh like one as well. "I was wondering when he would tell me but already expected for him to keep it to himself until the end of the year. Ahahahaha."

"Geh, don't tell me! Even Gochin already new?! From the start?!" Nomura was beet red, but it didn't stop the quick glances he made to the front again.

Even I checked Tsuji's area. All the girls, including Ayako, were still engrossed in their little chat. Thankfully, no one noticed our discussion. Had someone decided to peep in after the scene we made, Nomura would be shedding tears by now.

Ah, he noticed me looking at him looking at Tsuji-san. I did what came naturally. I smiled, gave him a knowing wink, and also giving him a thumbs up as if to say, 'I support you in your hopeless endeavor'.

I don't actually mean for it to be hopeless per se. I just enjoyed teasing the guy so much. Ah, it feels good to have make new friends. You can't tease the ones that weren't around as much as you could the ones within your reach. And if they have a weakness just within walking distance, it's all the sweeter.

Ah, uh no, he's actually tearing up. Maybe it was time we changed the subject. It'd be bad if we went too far with the jokes.

However, as we had accustomed ourselves to the warm atmosphere of casual jokes and banter, none of us noticed the white light until it had us surrounded.

The four of us were already standing. Endou was blinded. Nomura tilted in his seat and landed back first to the floor. Nagayama, meanwhile, was grabbing his bag to shield from the light. Grabbing my own, I prepared to run like my life depended on it.

'If this is someone's idea of a prank, 'bomb hidden in classroom' was very tasteless.'

I turned to call out to the others, but I stopped.

A glyph that encompassed the entire classroom's floor with some sections climbing the walls bursting with intense light started to glow, then shine. I looked up to avoid the flash, but I notice another glyph, smaller this time, above my head on the ceiling. This too glowed with light, warmer than the one below.

As if the floor and ceiling were mirrors caught in the sun's rays, the light flashed even brighter while a hum took over our hearing. We were all caught by surprise. Someone, probably Hatayama-sensei, cried for us to get out of the classroom. None of us were able to, stunned by the supernatural phenomenon happening before and around us.

All we could see was white. All we heard were each other's cries, surprised screams, and a hum.

And soon, the light and noise were gone, replaced by a thick fog or smoke.

* * *

The air had changed. From the warm, enclosed classroom to a cold, vast stone hallway, I felt a chill down my spine and immediately lowered my bag as I started looking around. If the temperature had dropped to such a degree, would the location have changed drastically too?

The answer was 'yes'.

The blinding light had already faded away, leaving the smoke to slowly dissipate. But it didn't have to clear up completely. The sight to behold was more than enough to captivate one's gaze.

First up, I noticed the ceiling height had changed. Not from a measly two or three stories, no. It jumped to eight, maybe nine stories high. Then the architecture. Gone were the clean white ceilings made out of concrete, wood and paint. Instead, marble pillars holding up what seemed to be a carefully carved similarly-marble ceiling. The floor was similarly made out of a marble slab that was slightly raised like an altar. Last but not the least was the giant ten-meter mural located behind us all, on what should be the back of the great hall. The mural was imprinted with images of lakes, mountains and plains. It's centerpiece, however, was a beautiful humanoid being. Androgynous in appearance, gorgeous flowing blonde hair and having a halo of radiance carved around its head. A smiling face with hands stretched out as if to embrace all creation.

But the eyes seemed empty. More than anything, the moment I saw those eyes, I felt my heart pound in my chest. Every fiber in my being told me I should leave, to get away from the mural's periphery. A noise in my head seemed to scream, trying everything in its power to communicate to me, to tell me one thing: to leave.

And yet, I didn't budge. Not because I was afraid of the emptiness in those eyes. Nor because I was overwhelmed by its beauty. I simply felt… disappointment. The kind one feels when you anticipated more but was given even less.

It was strange. It was like I expected something more than this. And although this cathedral had easily surpassed Saint Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican, the atmosphere was just as grand as staring into a musty basement.

It was impressive in terms of scale, yes. But there was no heart to it. Like an art piece born from scraps tossed together with no real purpose. Or meaning. Other than being told to do so.

"Kousuke, Jugo, Kentarou, you guys alright?"

None spoke up to answer, but at a glance, I saw they were alright. Endou was still recovering from the flash, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand while looking around. Nagayama similarly holding his bag as we both used it to shield our faces, was helping Nomura up. As he had fallen to the floor, landing back-first on solid marble wasn't a comfortable one and looked to be in slight pain, as well as confusion.

I sighed in relief. But quickly scanned the immediate area. It looks like we were all here. Well, everyone that was present in the classroom at least. The entire class was just shy of forty students, but there were about thirty teenagers and one adult all in all.

But we weren't the only ones in the hallway.

Surrounding the raised platform we stood on, thirty or so priests, at least that was what they were dressed as, with white robes embroidered with gold filigree, equipped with staffs kneeled in prayer. Each staff had the same head, an open fan in the shape of a circle with disks hanging from the endpoints.

Creepy cathedral, check.

Creepy mural, check.

Strange priests, check.

An emblem not belonging to any UN-recognized religious groups, check.

'All we need now is a pope or a self-declared leader and it would be a cult-kidnapping—'

CLACK CLACK

The sound of a staff hitting the marble floor made its way into my ears. The owner of said stave had a robe grander than the others, wrapped in more golden laces, as well as a formal headwear that was a bit shorter and even flashier than what the pope of the Catholics wore. The leader of the religious order had made his appearance. And I finally lost my cool.

"You've got to be kidding me."

He seemed to have heard what I said as he glanced toward me to give an aged smile before redirecting his gaze to the center of the class. Towards Amanogawa Kouki.

"Welcome to Tortus, O great Hero and his fellow countrymen. We welcome you all. I am Ishtar Lombard, the Pope of the Church of Saints. It is an honor to meet you."

I swear, my eye twitched at the light-novel-ish greeting. Then again, the signs were everywhere. No way a large group of thirty teens and one teacher could be unknowingly brought to such a strange and extremely huge church from the school grounds in under a second. And seemingly brought here by a flash of light with us stuck in place as we were before the incident.

This wasn't a scifi flick. Scotty can't beam us anywhere. And even that would leave us to notice the change in location, maybe even feel it as our bodies are disassembled and reassembled in the span of a few seconds.

Nothing on the planet could explain such a paranormal/scifi-esque situation. Except maybe a light novel.

Dammit, if this was an isekai thing, I had everything to worry about.

.

.

.

The grandparents could get a heart attack. Dad's going to kill me.

No. Wait.

.

.

.

The twins will be jealous about this.

I might lose my spot as "Best Oniichan in the World".

.

.

.

Shiiiiiiiiiit!

* * *

We were led into a foyer attached to the cathedral. Rows of chairs along the giant table, plates and utensils of the finest china I've ever seen, and décor fit for a five-star restaurant, lined and waiting for us. Of course, we were the Summoned Ones. There was no one else for them to prepare all this for.

As soon as we arrived, we were asked to take a seat. As I had initially hesitated in following the self-proclaimed pope, I was near the end. I sat down next to Endou, with Nagayama and Nomura sitting nearby closer to the center. Nagumo sat on my other side. Similarly, he lagged behind. It seems he hesitated as well.

Perhaps, it was not just me who found it wrong to just blindly follow the instructions of our kidnappers. But having no other options presented to use, being unable to run for fear of getting lost or staying and being left behind, we did as we were told, albeit reluctantly.

As soon as we were seated, the sound of small squeaking wheels surrounded us. From the adjacent hallway, maids poured in with trays and dishes carried via carts.

I watched as the maids pulled to a stop in perfect synchronicity, picking up their cart's tray, and setting it down before me and everyone else. After giving us a bow, they all returned to the hall from whence they came. Not a single one broke rank, perfect in posture, form, as well as figures. Not a single maid looked out of place, like they were from a set. Of dolls.

And their expressions. So youthful, so gorgeous. Each and every one of the uniformed women had the air of maturity and patience you would expect of a servant. But their eyes were blank. Unlike the mural which carried empty, uncaring pity, these girls were void of life. Of will. As if they only lived to serve.

"I'm sure all of you have questions you want answered." The priest started, assuredly smiling at us as a harmless old man would to a scared child. "Please, allow me to explain before we get to your questions."

In summary:

Tortus, this world. The three races: Humans of the north, Demi-humans of the eastern wilderness, and the dreaded Devils that ruled the south. Politically, Humans and Devils were almost always at war for the past several hundred years. Humans had the numerical advantage. Devils were superior in every other way except for population. Hence the stalemate. Only skirmishes nowadays with Demi-humans staying neutral.

Recently, monsters, supposedly deployed by the Devils have harassed the human population ever so increasingly. Taming them is difficult with few tamers and the limit of up to maximum of two even for extremely special cases. Compared to the average beast, monsters were disregarded of sentience and designated only as tools of the Devils. In short, less than an animal and yet more dangerous still. Hunted for material, soulless, and a target of extermination.

"Ehito-sama was the one to summon you here. He is god that protects us and we worship him in the Church of Saints. He created this world and, most likely, realized that if things remained as is, we Humans would face destruction. For this reason, you were summoned to avert this future. The world you come from is of a higher plane than ours. The denizens of your world would be blessed with great power here. Before the summons, we prayed to Ehito-sama, and you were theh "salvation" he sent. With your powers, we will overthrow the Devils and save the Humans by the will of Ehito-sama."

The pope's expression was that of ecstasy. He was so engrossed in his speech, he practically oozed out conviction to his cult of Ehit or whatever his name was.

I was not convinced. I've read too much history to know what was going on. If you wanted to inform us of what we needed to do, stating it from beginning, middle, to end is the quickest and surest way to understand everything we needed to know.

Something along the lines of 'We need your help. Please do this.' or something similar.

However, this man was cunningly using sympathy to woo us to his cause. Stating that the Devils were waging war on Humans would be easily resolved by enforcing peace and coexistence between the two races. If the Demi-humans were as neutral as he stated they were, then enforcing that same neutrality between the two races would be enough. And yet, he pushed details such as monsters being the pets of the Devils and their desperation to stoop so low as to beg their patron deity for help.

He was painting himself to be the "desperate faithful" and us the literal "god-given solution".

What's more, he spoke in a way that suggested it was not his plan to summon a hero, but instead god's will. If anything, he was advocating for a "deus vult" scenario with us to carry on his crusade.

That Ehito he mentioned, the centerpiece of the mural from before, was responsible for our being here. If so, then he would be both kidnapper and quest giver. Funny how he has the gall to take us from a higher plane and request us to fight his wars. I would rather not.

Seemingly agreeing with me, Hatayama-sensei took the stage. What's more, she was angry. Seriously angry.

"Please don't joke around. These children will be fighting a war! I won't allow such a thing! I will absolutely not allow it! Please let us go back! Surely their families are worried about them! What you've done is just kidnapping!"

'Tell him, Hatayama-sensei!' I supported her internally with all my being. 'Tell him so that we may go home and forget this all ever happened!'

"I sympathize with your feelings."

The hell you do, old man! That smile says you don't give a rat's ass!

"Unfortunately, we have no way to return you."

My glare intensified. I wasn't as shocked as I expected. Hatayama-sensei, however, shouted back in response with fear and confusion causing her legs to tremble.

"'No way' you say? What do you mean it's not possible to return us? If you were able to bring us here, you must have a way to send us back!"

The teacher's words fell on deaf ears. At the very least, the Pope of the Church of Saints, Ishtar Lombard, spoke words that seemingly washed his hands of responsibility.

"As I said earlier, it was by Ehito-sama's will that you were summoned. It is also by his power and magic that interfered with other worlds so that you may be brought here. Whether you can return or not is up to the venerable Ehito-sama to decide."

"No… way…"

The hall was silent. Hatayama Aiko fell back to her seat defeated. Then, the others started to panic.

"It's a lie! It has to be a lie!"

"Are we really going to have to fight? Seriously?"

"'Fight a war', don't joke around!"

"I want to go home!"

"Otousan, Okaasan…"

"Why? Just… why?"

It was to be expected. As Hatayama-sensei said, we were all essentially kidnapped. And now we were being told we would fight someone else's war while denied any means of returning home. The only reason as to why I hadn't joined them in losing it or denial was because I understood panicking myself was only going to make it worse.

I spared a glance around the table.

Nagayama sat stunned in silence. Nomura had his hands gripped around his head in fear. Endou, whose presence was already weak, seemed to attempt to vanish entirely as if it would save him from this hell. Nagumo was similarly quiet yet balled his fists in frustration as he sat still, glancing to the front, to where Ishtar looked down on all of them. Hiyama and his posse, the center of the panic brigade, were shouting dissent and denial all the way while the rest of the guys were either joining them or stunned as the ones around me were.

The girls were no different, crying for their parents or in denial of it all. Yoshino-san had her head in her friend Tsuji-san's chest. Both were in tears. The normally calm Nakamura-san and her bright and sunny best friend Taniguchi-san were quiet and shivering in their seats. It also seemed that Taniguchi was trying to comfort Nakamura via holding her hand. Truth be told, however, it seemed to be the opposite as Taniguchi, the normally bubbly girl, was closer to tears and needed the supporting presence of her friends.

Then there was Amanogawa's group at the other end of the table. Yaegashi and Shirasaki shared the same sentiment as Hatayama-sensei. Disbelief but unable to do anything about it except shake in fear. Sakagami had his arms crossed like me, but instead of calm, he was gritting his teeth, failing to notice he had bitten his lip. Blood trickled down his lip but neither he nor anyone else noticed.

I would call them pitiful if I wasn't trying to dig my nails in my own crossed arms.

If my family is worried when they hear the news of our class suddenly disappearing off the face of the earth, I wonder just how much of a shitshow it'll be if they find out we had to join a war. Having only known peace and experienced wars through the history documentaries, wargames, or their archeological sites, this was going to be a more than shitty way to see it up close. And I was already disgusted by how the people of Earth fought in the Crusades and Middle Ages across Asia. If Tortus had magic AND monsters, with magic, well… shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

SHIT!

Forget jealousy, the twins are going to kill me if I die! And that's taking it lightly!

Seriously, I just had to pick now of all the years to return to Japan. If I knew I would be kidnapped by a god from another world, I would have stayed as far away as possible until I graduated college.

I inhaled deeply to calm my nerves.

Don't panic. Remember to think before you act.

I inhaled again to collect my thoughts.

Lombard only said he wasn't able to return us. And there is no guarantee we can trust his word either Maybe there's still hope.

I breathed deeply once more and looked forward to the end of the table.

If this pope and church were anything like the ones in the Medieval Period of Earth's history, there was always a catch.

I studied Ishtar's visage. He had been watching our every reaction during his speech. In spite of the sob-story exposition of having to beg for help from otherworlders, he was cunningly probing for vulnerable egos. I kept my poker face the entire time ever since he creepily smiled at us at the altar. Despite my weak eyesight, I noticed someone had brought about the reaction Ishtar so 'desperately' wanted. The tell-tale smile and satisfied look he gave that person was quite clear as to why.

BAM

A slam of a hand to the surface of the table and everyone quickly fell silent. Garnering everyone's attention, he spoke up with the usual confident air.

"Everyone, please. Calm down. There is no reason to blame Ishtar-san as he had nothing to do with it."

Nothing? And yet, it is only he and his people that stand to gain anything from this exchange.

Despite the anger in my thoughts, Amanogawa wasn't done.

"As for me, I'm going to fight. It's a fact that the humans in this world are facing a crisis. Knowing that, I cannot ignore their pleas for help. If I was summoned to save the humans of this world, we may be able to return after we save them. Ishtar-san, is it possible?"

"Yes. Ehito-sama will answer the wishes of the Saviors."

I raised an eyebrow. There was an inconsistency there. At first I thought it was to paint himself as someone who was forced the responsibility of helping us help them. But Ishtar Lombard now spoke with such certainty about Ehito helping us get back when only earlier he said differently.

"We've all been given special powers right?" Amanogawa spoke like he was realizing something. "Since I came here I've been feeling this sense of power."

"Yes, that's right. Roughly, each of you have a power that is several times greater than the people of our world."

"Then, it's settled. I'll fight. I'll save your people," turning to face the rest of us, he added. "And then we can all go home. I'll save the world and everyone, you'll see!"

His charisma worked wonders. The previously despairing class was suddenly hopeful and calm. Everyone was suddenly volunteering to join his plight. Even his usual circle of friends.

"I thought you would say something like that. If you were to do it alone, I would worry about you. I'll also fight."

"Ryutaro?"

"At this moment that is all we can do. It's not like I hate it, I'll fight too."

"Shizuku?"

"Eh, If Shizuku-chan is going, I'll try my best."

"Kaori."

"I thank you for this with all my being, O great Hero."

Ishtar bowed his thanks to Amanogawa and he graciously accepted the quest.

The students went mental. They all smiled and shouted support. All the while, I and two others watched quietly with passive expressions. Hatayama-sensei was trying to protest their stepping up to fight. Nagumo was eyeing the pope with suspicion. It seems I wasn't the only one. The smile the old man was making was anything but of relief. It was closer to that of success. Success that all was according to plan. I, however, watched everyone else. My fellow students in this class. Perhaps, I should have kept my mouth shut for risk of alienating myself from my fellows from Earth.

But I just couldn't take it anymore.

Not this saving-the-world bullshit. Not the stupidly optimistic worldview of Amanogawa's. Not the escapist fantasy path these… these… children were taking.

I couldn't keep it in anymore.

So I stood up and voiced my opinion.

"I refuse to take part in your war."

Their cheers and shouts suddenly dropped in volume as they turned to look in my direction. Although I spoke from the other end of the table, my voice must have carried over to the other side. The crowd had apparently lost steam as they didn't know how to react to my refusal. Stepping forward from the group, Amanogawa spoke up.

"What's wrong Yamamoto? Don't you want to help us? If we all team up, then surely we could beat the Devils faster than I could do it alone—"

"I hate to interrupt, Amanogawa," I had every intention to interrupt as I wanted off his wild ride before it left the station. "But I don't see any benefit for me in fighting someone else's war."

This line stunned Amanogawa as he abruptly looked like he didn't know what to say, or maybe he just never expected me to disregard their wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of the countless Human residents in Tortus.

"Yamamoto, you shouldn't be so selfish. I know you want to go home. I, too, as well. But if we don't work together, none of us will get to go home any faster."

"Yeah, Kouki's right."

"Stop being selfish, transfer student."

"We want to go home too, y'know."

Well, this is a pickle. Though very unintentional, Amanogawa Kouki has turned the majority of the class against me. And he may not even notice the repercussions of his choice of words. What. An. Idiot. But then again, what did I expect from an ignorant child.

"Pope Ishtar Lombard-sama, may I ask you a few questions."

I spoke loudly to silence the jeers of my peers. Ishtar, having heard his name, stepped forward to stand next to Amanogawa. Regardless of the respect I used when saying his name, the stave in his hand stamped threateningly next to him as he tried to hide the glare he sent in my direction. It seems he didn't factor in the fact that Amanogawa's words might not have influence on some of us.

"Ask away, companion of the Hero."

He said it with such distaste, it might as well be considered an insult. The others seemed to take it that way as some began looking at me with disgust.

"Earlier, you said that your god, Ehito, was the one to summon us here. And that it was up to if we get to return to our world, correct?"

"Ehito-sama rewards those who offer their services in his glorious name," there was poison there as he emphasized it harshly to correct me. "And punishes those that abandons his blessing."

I could care less about how I treated his deity. I was more concerned by how he subtly threatened me. He was stating it as if it was an honor, a privilege, to serve his god. However, Amanogawa kept his serious face as if to scold my selfishness. He was too oblivious to even realize what was happening in front of him. Typical. First, it was Nagumo. Now, I'm the obstacle of his 'righteousness'.

"Then, Pope Ishtar Lombard, I don't mean to be rude, or insult Ehito himself, but I just can't bring myself to trust your word for it."

The pope's face visibly contorted for like a second before defaulting to the 'annoyed-neutral' he had been giving me.

"Please explain your reasons."

"Very well," with crossed arms, I nodded and spoke clearly. This was more for my sake than the others, but if they listened and thought similarly, then maybe, they wouldn't do something stupid. "To start off, Ehito has summoned us to this world from our own which, as you said, is on a higher plane than Tortus. On whose authority was Ehito permitted to forcibly take us from our home? Has your god not considered it rude to take things that do not belong to him?"

Oh, he looked absolutely livid the moment I insinuated his god had to ask permission first. But with his most prized piece standing next to him, he couldn't lose composure now. Speaking of, the puppet decided to speak up.

"What are you saying, Yamamoto? Ishtar didn't plan on kidnapping us. Stop blaming it on—"

"Amanogawa Kouki-kun," stating his whole name was enough to make him flinch. "I have not implied that Ishtar Lombard has done so. Please refrain from interpreting things others say for your own convenience. Has no one ever told you that it is a rude thing to assume facts you do not completely understand?"

I adjusted my glasses with a scrunched brow while keeping my arms crossed. The annoyed-devil-behind-the-glasses effect or was that what the light-novel-readers called it.

"Also, please do not interrupt my discussion with the pope. How am I supposed to make myself clear when you are being extremely rude?"

Oooh, boi. The guy may have a perfect face and everything, but as soon as things aren't going his way, he starts gritting his teeth like a child being told off.

"Now, where was I," I feigned forgetfulness, but that was just for even more dramatic flair. I then turned to face the pope and only the pope. "Oh yes. I do apologize for that, Pope Lombard. Please answer my question, before we are rudely interrupted again."

"Tsk, Yama—!"

Tell of a child once, forgive them for they are children. Having to tell them off twice, and they need to be disciplined. The pope stopped Amanogawa with a raised hand, but Ishtar had lost the look of annoyance he had been giving me. Behind the poker face, was seething discontent for I was but an obstacle to his lord's will. He gave a nod, more to reassure Kouki than to agree with me. Clever.

"My lord Ehito-sama saw it fit to summon you without prior notice as he may have foreseen that there was no other way to ensure our victory over the Devils and monsters they wield. If this has insulted your god in anyway, then I humbly apologize for my own actions that may have insulted you as well."

Going for the 'I was wrong' approach and asking for forgiveness, is it? Well, no matter. It wasn't you who was wrong in the first place.

"'You're forgiven' is what I'd like to say, however, it is not from me that Ehito has stolen from, other than my freedom that is." The pope's grip on his stave tightened. "However, as I am not a priest or in any way a representative of my own deity, I shall not blame you for this occurrence. You were only doing what your god has ordered you to. I just pray that my god takes this lightly as we are children of his world. And we all know how harshly parents can lash out when their child is taken from them by force."

This was a taunt and a warning. I was not a religious person. But having studied history for so long, I knew many stories of selfish, overprotective deities and the people that did things by claiming the deity's protection. Playing myself as a believer of one of them may be enough to prevent this pope from acting against me. As if to prove my point, he lowered his head and bowed low.

"I thank you for your good will."

Oh? So the pope knows how to bow in apology, does he? Well, I'm not through yet.

"Please, raise your head and think nothing of it," I said. "There is a saying from our world: "To err is human". No one is perfect and therefore we must let things pass every now and then. Even if we are extremely offended, there are times when we must persevere through it all. Otherwise, how can we learn from our mistakes?"

I did not miss the pope's eyes as the intense rage of my implying his god was as fallible as us humans turned the elderly calm into a zealot's storm. But he can't just act against me. Not unless he wants to anger whatever god that I worshipped and received blessings from in the other world. Judging by how I referred to his telling of us coming from a higher plane of existence, he spoke of how much stronger Earthlings are compared to the people of Tortus. He knows I'm implying the same for our gods.

Also, it seems Amanogawa had missed this ruse as well, despite how ridiculously dramatic I've played it out.

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Yamamoto. I guess I mistook your actions as just your being selfish. I didn't realize you were a religious person that might feel bad for your being stolen away from your god. I guess I misjudged your reaction. I guess the blame falls on Ehito for that, huh."

Pfft, the priest was losing it. Oh my lord. I don't know if there is a god from my world out there, but I thank you for this blessing/curse that is Amanogawa Kouki. He was the perfect icing on the subtle-insults cake.

"Then, Yamamoto. Does this mean you'll join us?"

Oh wipe that smile of your face. Even if you did take my actions as an angry Christian, it doesn't erase the fact that you quickly jumped to conclusions. And is that what you got from all that bull I pulled out my ass?

"Amanogawa," I looked at him with a serious expression as well as an annoyed smile on my face. "Are you an idiot?"

"Eh?" "Eh?" "Ha?"

The other students, even Hatayama-sensei reacted accordingly. Even the others didn't get it. Just how stupid are these people?

"Wait, but didn't you say you forgive—?"

"I forgave Pope Ishtar, yes." I looked towards the pope who was not amused with my display. Then again, when was he ever? "But not all my concerns have been addressed."

Ishtar cleared his throat. That was my cue so I spoke, this time, facing the rest of the class as well.

"Now, as we have come to an agreement that Ehito has kidnapped us from our home," I had to stop my grin from escaping. The pope's teeth gnashed ever so quietly under pursed lips. "I will explain my other reason as to why I refuse to join you all. Has any of you heard of the malpractice done by dictators when they lack the manpower to fight a war?"

A few in the crowd had questioning gazes. Others like Hiyama had expressions that said, 'the fuck does that have to do with anything?', or something to that effect. It was the teacher, however, that did not disappoint me.

"You're referring to how… how African warlords kidnap and use children… to fight as insurgents and terrorists, aren't you Yamamoto-kun?"

"That's right. Thank you, Hatayama-sensei." Turning to face Ishtar, I explained. "In our world, it is an affront to use a child to fight a war. Especially more so if the child is not yet an adult and has no actual reason to fight other than they were threatened to do so. As to how this is related, your method of simply whisking us away to recruit us for a war we never asked for was an affront to me as a person from that society. This is why I refused to fight."

I expected the pope to counteract in some way, but maybe it was because he saw me as capable of arguing back that he didn't even bother. Or maybe it was because Amanogawa beat him to the punch.

"But Yamamoto, our only way home is by defeating the Devils. If we don't do that, we won't be able to return home."

The other students started nodding in agreement at his words.

Why does it always have to be black or white with these people?

"Haaah," I sighed out loud. "Pope Ishtar, your words were 'Whether you can return or not is up to the venerable Ehito-sama to decide', correct?"

"Yes," he looked mad. Oh wait, he already was. "What of it?"

"Then, by my interpretation, it does not guarantee that Ehito will allow us to return even if we defeat the Devils."

The students started to bustle. Some were returning to despair; others were simply quiet. The revelation must be quite shocking, but I'm being sarcastic, so who am I kidding?

"Yamamoto!" Amanogawa didn't take it lying down. "Stop needlessly causing worry! Ishtar-san would never break his word to us!"

"He never promised us we would be free to go after this in the first place." I looked at Amanogawa who defiantly glared back. "It's not in his power to return us, neither does he have a say, isn't that right? Pope Ishtar?"

"That's not true! Stop making up lies—!"

"AMANOGAWA KOUKI!" My shout resounded in the halls. It was enough to silence them all. But as it was made in anger, the air was stifling. "Do. Not. Interrupt." Amanogawa was again gritting his teeth. But he held his tongue. "Now, Ishtar-sama, your answer?"

"… What you say is true. I have neither the choice nor the power to send you back. Magic to interfere with worlds is beyond normal humans and only Ehito-sama has ever achieved it. If it is by my lord's will to keep you here, I cannot…"

He need not continue. The kids were already in a panic as it was. Dashing away their hopes may have been a bit cruel, even for me. But they needed to know. There was no way an almighty being would just nab powerful pawns from a world more advanced than his own and return them after use. No. It was too good to be true. In the first place, if he was willing enough to return us, he wouldn't kidnap us in the first place.

A few in the class must've understood my point by now. Nagumo was looking at me as if he was thinking similarly. But Amanogawa had a balled fist. It was like I ruined his optimistic worldview or negated all his hard work by saying a few words. Oh wait, I did.

I didn't expect the pope to surrender the truth so easily. But maybe it was his way of saying 'negotiate your terms' while the look he gave me added 'before I take drastic measures'.

I guess it was time to stop.

"Everyone need not panic." I raised my arms to call attention to myself. It was slightly effective as a few were starting to calm back down again. "There is no way the god of our world would abandon us to this fate. Not unless I have anything to say about it."

Many were confused. Of course they should be. I was pulling this drama right out of thin air.

"Yamamoto, are you planning on giving them false hope? After everything you've just said?"

"Amanogawa Kouki, I do not want to do that at all. In fact, I loathe lies. Especially ones designed to ruin a person when they are at their most desperate. Therefore I will not make any excuses and say I have a way to get us back. But I don't want to die, and you don't want to not save them. So instead, I'll do this." I raised my voice to address them all. "I, Yamamoto Eichirou, hereby declare that I will find a way back to our world. By the guidance of Anima, I shall seek to return you to your daily lives." My declaration hit as soft as a wind in the breeze to the face. It lacked impact, but I had the proper tools to make one. "Until then, Amanogawa Kouki."

"Eh?" Surprised at being addressed, I decided to have him play a part in this farce, since he seems to revel in being the center of the cast.

"You, who are hailed as the Hero of Tortus, will fulfill your mission from Ehito and lead those willing to fight the war for the innocents in need. I, on the other hand, will search for a way back home. Everybody will do what they can, even if I don't join you in the fighting. If it's finding a way home without Ehito's help, then I could at least try find one. And when I do, we could save everyone."

"And, pray tell, how would you achieve this without Ehito-sama's help?" Pope Ishtar Lombard asked. But a smug smile was enough to tell me he thought I was boasting.

"Why, of course, you said it yourself, Ishtar Lombard," I approached the man and put a hand to his shoulder. He would have swatted me away, I could tell, if it wasn't for the fact that he needed to keep up appearances. "The magic to interfere with other worlds is unattainable by normal humans. But none of us are normal humans, are we? We are people from a higher plane, people with power that Ehito himself so desperately needs. If a respectable god like Ehito himself would stoop so low as to kidnap another, more superior god's children because he needed help, it would be unbecoming of a child of Anima to just stand by and do nothing. We have to honor Anima's name by doing that which only we could achieve."

I smirked at the thought.

"If your god recognizes the potential within us all to surpass him, then we should respond by doing better than he expects of us, wouldn't you say so?"

Eloquently stating the inferiority of his god may be taking it too far. But this is the metaphorical twist of the knife in a kidnapper's leg.

"Yes, you are right. I thank you for going out of your way to assist the people of Tortus for this matter. Though It pains me to disobey Ehito-sama, I will do all I can to assist you on your search, as well as the Hero's quest."

The others breathed a sigh of relief. There were those who were skeptical but at the very least, they were looking at things realistically. And the pope's words had a boost of an effect. It seems taking acting classes during that summer in Europe was not such a bad deal after all. I owe dad an apology. Despite his eccentric tastes, the man knew the best places to learn the proper skills.

This was my way of saying 'I do this because of my more superior and yet benevolent god's teachings' or 'I will achieve something even your god could not'.

Call me stupid. But I was mad at how easily the class was influenced into following the pope through word's alone. Also, the fact that their 'symbol of justice' was so easily manipulated pissed me off royally.

Very well, two can play that game.

I refuse to die for their cause. I refuse to be a pawn in their game.

And if being a mortal can't stop them, I can at least sabotage them to buy enough time to get the hell out of here.

"Might I ask, just who is this 'Anima' you speak of?"

The pope's question caught me off-guard. He was probing. Most likely, testing me for weaknesses to exploit. He agreed to help me, but I knew that was just a front, a formality if you will. I was probably going to be targeted for obstructing him. I did plant a realistic perspective within the others. That made it harder for them to be manipulated all the time. Hopefully.

Oh, I was rambling again.

Better give a legit story about some god that does not exist. Make it as convincing as can be so that he wouldn't be able to find loopholes by asking the others.

"Anima is the god of my world, Pope Ishtar." I spoke in a way akin to a missionary stating fact. "The being of many forms, the mother of love and creation, the father of progress and discipline. They take on many names, but all fulfill one goal." I smiled as a religious man would. "_Everything for the sake of his/her children_."

And so ended the first stage of my performance.

I really expected this to be the last.

By Anima, or whatever god was out there, I pray for forgiveness at how wrong I was.

* * *

**_So this is a little different._**

**_I rushed this idea before I even finished revising my other fics, or even before the anime of this series came out. I was hyped, alright. I binged the web novel long before the manga came out. And my RWBY fics are sooooo haaaard to do when there are so much better authors out there._**

**_If this were a battle of willpower, I concede defeat as I fall into depression at how shit I did when started making RWBY fanfics._**

**_It's not that I won't do them. I just want to do it properly. I have great respect for Monty Oum and want to do the man proud, well, prouder than what RT's been doing to RWBY. Seriously, slowed to a crawl then suddenly dropping important aspects of the RWBYverse around like ChupaChups floying out the pinata._**

**_Couer Al'Aran did it better, even more creatively. Seriously, go check him out._**

**_My slump of RWBY fics out of the way, this story will be a series. Just not a regularly updated one as it is a.) Experimental/self-insert, b.) based on the web novel and not any licensed sources (which I have not touched ever since chapter 350 something) (back reading is a bitch), c.) I still need to graduate from university because I delayed it like a fucking idiot, d.) Job hunting_**

**_So, yeeeaaah. Enjoy this. Also, go read the original web novel if you can. There are English, or ingrish, fan translations out there, also it's free. Has a lot of plot for a web novel, and probably, a LOT MORE PLOT than the anime will ever have. You have been warned._**

**_I'll get back to the RWBY thing when I have the time (I don't), inspiration (still don't) or the motivation (nope. Nothing yet.)._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 2: Similar Start, Different Perspectives**

* * *

On the softest bed I've ever laid my head on, I slept like a babe. Having just had a stressful day of being kidnapped and nearly recruited to some god-forsaken war—, scratch that, to some god's fucking war, I needed the rest.

Thankfully, as I buried myself under the thick bed covers, the cool air soothed every fiber of my being, getting me to sink even deeper into my slumber. Between the soft fluff and the cool air, I was in bliss.

Ahhh, I needed this so much.

After the stunt I had pulled just a few hours ago—

No. Nooo.

Forget. Sleep.

Sleeeeeeeeep.

.

.

.

Not even a second later, the door to my room opens and a familiar voice calls out to me.

_"Wake up… my son…"_

"Uuuggghhh, seriously?"

_"Time to get up… It's late…"_

Looking around through the small gaps of my eyes, complete darkness ruled the room. Not a speck of sunlight through the window, not even the lamplight. Maybe the curtains were drawn over. Or maybe she was trying to fool me into throwing out the trash this early. Either way, I wasn't having it.

"Uuuggghhh… five more minutes, mom… …"

_"Come on. I didn't raise you up to be a lazy bum. You know better than to take after your father in the morning."_

What she meant to say was 'act like your father and annoy me, and I will treat you like your father when he annoys me'. Meaning ignoring my very existence for the rest of the day.

That meant no food, no allowance, no warning or mention if we were going somewhere or doing something. The whole shebang. The worst bit was getting ignored by my own siblings lest the same happens to them! A cruel punishment indeed!

But not one I can't take. It'll only be for a day, and I've already experienced the worst day ever, so to hell with it!

"Mmmmgggghhh… just… please… five more minutes…"

_"Sleeping in? How so very much like you. If you at least slept early, you wouldn't be having this problem, you know?"_

She teases. How so very much like her to. But still, my decision stands.

"Mom, can you please… not?"

_"And why can't I, my son? Is there a reason to warrant you acting like a child…?"_

Oh, COME ON! Firstly, I AM a child. At least, legally. Secondly… uh… know what, fuck it… Whatever, brain, just… just give her the summarized version.

"I've just had… the most terrifying day of my life… I need a time out… Before my head explodes."

And wasn't that an understatement. If the pope so wished it, I may be eaten alive, or dropped from the top of the mountain temple we were summoned in. Maybe my head exploding was for the better. Quick and painless. Probably. Hopefully.

_"Alright then. I'll let you get up on your own."_

YESSS! She understands me so well.

"Thanks mom…"

Finally, some peace and quiet. I could sleep in, forget all my worries, and maybe even hang out with the twins later when they get off school. What a remedy! And it came from begging!

It was going to be another one of those normal, happy days. Or so I thought. Just as mom was about to exit the room, I hear her voice one last time.

_"One last thing, son."_

"What is it, mom…?"

_"You're playing a very dangerous game in a world not my own."_ The air in the room suddenly dropped several degrees, causing a sense of sleep paralysis that dulled most of my senses besides my hearing. It reminded me of just how fast my heart had been beating this entire time. _"I suggest you prepare for the worst, otherwise you will never see your family again."_

The thumping in my chest resonated with the one in my mind. Realizing my mistake of assuming it was mom, I shot out of my bed. Or at least the upper half of my torso. Having felt relaxed too much, my lower half was buried entirely in the sheets.

_"But as you have been an amusing child of mine, I'll give you a little something to help you out. Have fun with my gift~~~!"_

Her last words resounded in the air, but then, it was gone just as quiet as she came.

Now, there was only the sound of me, breathing erratically.

Sweat dribbled from my forehead and down my neck. The sleepwear I had borrowed from the palace maid was drenched, as well as feeling a bit too hot. I took off the top almost immediately and got out of bed.

I looked around and walked towards the window. Giant curtains draped over the glass panels. Unlike the windows of Earth, the royal palace of Tortus had stained glass for windows. Grabbing onto the edge, I contemplated whether it even was a good idea to open them.

If my life wasn't in danger, I wouldn't have second guessed my actions.

It was only when I remembered that this window had no openings that I decided to pull the drapes to let in a small amount of sunlight. The room was bathed in a slight glow. The sun hadn't risen up completely yet. But with the window facing the east, the small amount was enough to brighten the room more than a candle would. The stained glass was colorful, but a bit light. As if they only applied a thin coating of color over the large, individual pieces. Different shades of orange, yellow and blue peppered the contents of my room.

A bed on the window-side corner the size of my bedroom in the grandparent's house. A small closet for a change of clothes. I say small, but it stood tall and was deep enough for me to hide in. A mirror rested atop a desk placed opposite the room of the closet. And a simple tea table with four seats near the center. A bit extravagant for a simple teenager, sure. But maybe it was because I was one of the Hero's 'companions', whatever that meant. The chandelier itself was terrifyingly expensive to look at. If by accident that thing fell and broke on Earth, I'd probably have hell to go through just to ask the folks to help pay for damages and even more hell when they cut my allowance.

'Thank god for being a 'companion', am I right?' I asked no one. The room itself was quite simple despite the extravagance. The audience room when they met the Royal Family was a hell of a lot more. But right now, that wasn't important.

Having been paranoid enough last night, I already scanned every nook and cranny of the room. The maid that had attended to me at the time was astonished at my actions. After quickly explaining that I was interested at the choice of décor by the royal family, I managed to convince her that I was simply a curious commoner.

It wasn't a lie. Monarchies rarely ever left their estates back on Earth, Even more so, allow the common folk to see them personally. Even when they did allow it, guards and escorts would flock around like a man-made man-wall and the estates that allowed tourist entry would be their show-homes, places they rarely even lived in.

That aside, I could easily pass off as an eccentric tourist. I've been one for most my life, even on my return to Japan. That specific tour was short-lived, though. And now, if I don't play my cards right, this one to Tortus may be a permanent stay.

Or, if the church figures out my bluff, immediately terminated, I would be.

Time to collect my thoughts. I started pacing back and forth within the over-sized bedroom. Good lord, you could fit my entire family plus the grandparents in here just for the night. If the twins were here they'd probably be prancing around shouting for a sleepover—?!

NO!

No.

.

.

.

Focus…

I breathed slowly and resumed my pacing.

Questions entered. Answers followed.

What had happened?

"Class and teacher transported to another world."

Where was I?

"Tortus, not Earth."

When is it?

"Second day, early morning.."

Who should I be afraid of?

"The Pope of the Church of Saints. The Royal Family of the Heiligh Kingdom. And the rampant stupidity of my classmates."

Why?

"Well, it was obvious."

The Pope's religion here is almost, if not more, powerful than the Catholics during the Medieval Era. If I'm not careful, I could either be excommunicated or burned at the stake for going against Ehto, or Hito, whatever that stupid god was called. As for the royal family, King Eiliheid S.B. Heiligh was a major concern. He was pretty much putty in the pope's hand. One wrong misstep with him and the pope might use it as an excuse to send me to the gallows.

But the last one is of greater concern. The classmates.

Thank god, Hatayama Aiko has enough sense to fill two persons of her stature. It was sad that her own influence was but a tenth of that. I want to apologize for inadvertently dissing the kind teacher, but she can't help me with the escapist hero and his companions as she was.

I was able to bullshit my way out of fighting Ishtar Lombard's crusade, but I won't be able to bullshit my way out of the class who thinks I am both a zealot and a complete coward. Cowardice, I can take, but if they look at me with the same disgusted or annoyed eyes one would give a persistent Jehovah's Witness pastor, I doubt my psyche could last this long in a world with no allies. Nagayama, Nomura, and Endou probably can't help me as we've barely been friends for a day.

Goddammit, Eichirou, why didn't you start befriending them last week? Oh wait, I decided to take my time and adjust to the school first. Damn priorities.

Maybe I could play it off as the religious pacifist? It could work. Probably. Maybe it could help explain why I prefer to NOT get killed or killed myself. But then again, I was from Earth. We from a higher plane were assumed to be more powerful than normal people here. Most likely, I will be expected to at least be able to handle a monster or two on my own.

Failure to do so and survive, I'd probably be pitied or tossed aside for being worthless.

Failure to do so and I die, well, I'D DIE.

Succeed to do so and survive, they'll expect me to be able to do it again, one way or another.

Succeed to do so and I die, my death will probably just be propaganda to use for the Pope's manipulation.

Even in death, my life would be used to manipulate others. Ain't that a bitch. I don't want to die. But neither pacifism nor crusading against Devils has a death-risk-free method.

.

.

.

UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Standing still, I gripped my head tightly and internally screamed my frustration.

Ok, stop. Stop. Stop.

I inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Repeating this a few times, I managed to calm myself down. I was usually never this stressed out before to warrant internally screaming. But then again, how many times have I been kidnapped by a god to be a pawn for his game in another dimension? Screaming should be at the very least a justified reaction. But now calm, I had to focus again.

Now, the most important bit: the least question.

How do I get out of this situation and get back home?

"… … … … … … … … shit… I got nothing… …"

After all that boasting about beating Eto in his own game, I can't come up with a solution on how to do it. Now that I think about it, what the hell was I thinking, boasting about achieving what was impossible for a god?! A GOD?! What the hell possessed me that I forgot I claimed I could beat A GOD?

Yamamoto Eichirou, you are a fucking idiot!

I failed to notice that I was back on my knees, hands clutching the fringes of my black and now messy hair. My forehead kneaded on the floor as I tried to make sense of my own stupidity.

Goddamn it. I was so stressed everything as it was and the audacity of the pope to try and recruit his kidnapped. With how lightly Amanogawa and the rest of the class took all this, I couldn't take the retardedness of it all. And just tried to stop it.

I succeeded. For a short while. And then THAT happened.

Shit.

.

.

.

Welp. No use moping about this now.

I picked myself off the floor, massaged my pained forehead and looked at my surroundings. The bed was messed up from how I tried to escape it. Although it looked comfortable enough to sneak a few more minutes of sleep, I neither had the time nor the calm to relax my guard. The closet, on the other hand, had something important. I walked up to it and pulled open the large door, the hinge squeaking in the silence.

Gaudy clothes of various make, some formal, others appearing to be what is considered casual around here. Those were folded neatly and arranged accordingly on one side. The suits and coats all hung up neatly but frilled beyond compare. I guess they were similar to Medieval or Victorian style apparel, judging by the extravagant décor. But that was all organized and pushed over to one side. The other, however, had my school bag.

During the process of summoning us, I and Nagayama had grabbed our own to protect ourselves from what we expected was an explosion. Thank god, I was wrong. Had I been right, I wouldn't be able to keep the photo I had pulled out from the front pocket.

In said photo was a family of five. A father sat in his favorite chair while his wife stood beside him, uncomfortably snuggling her bespectacled face against the guy's cheek while a boy around the age of eight did the same from the other side with his own glasses.

Dad just smiled, but I knew better. I chuckled at the memory of copying my mom as she teased dad with her glasses to his face. She called it a goggle-smooching. Something dad tried so hard for her to stop calling. There was a tale there. A little story about how they both had accidentally bashed their goggled faces in during a sandstorm in the deserts of Egypt. It was around the time when they first met. Somehow, I doubt that was the full story. But being their son, I didn't ask.

Why? Firstly, because ew, no. I wasn't even ten then. Secondly, gross. I shuddered at the thought of imagining my parents—!

Ah, stop, stop, stooooop. I breathed in. Held it. And released. Forgotten as it should be.

But then my eyes trailed down to the lower half of the photograph. Two sleeping toddlers cuddling in their father's arms. At the time, neither could be told apart. Regretfully, even I mixed them up every now and then. So dad opted to tie one of their hairs into a stalk at the top of her head. So in the picture, one slept like a babe, the other was tickling their father's nose with his own creation. The twins. The 'unexpected double gifts' my parents calls them. To me, they were just my siblings. Daiki and Hanami. They were just three years old in the photo.

Turning it over, I looked over the second photo I glued to the back. It was their first photo taken after their school's entrance ceremony. Sitting down prim and proper like a template ojou-sama, hair no longer tied like a stalk and was straight as the sun was bright with a smile as radiant as the Milky Way star, Hanami waved kindly to the camera. Cross-legged next to her, a bundle of energy with a mischievous grin, clothes already ruined probably from running around, and an arm waving to no one in particular, Daiki had a leaf that snuck its way under his uniform collar.

Twins at birth, exact opposites whenever you meet them. They were thirteen now. Around middle school age. Just the thought of how big they've grown after ten years…

A drop touched the photo. I noticed I let a tear escape me. Wiping it away and immediately drying the photo, I collected myself.

Not good. Don't get emotional. Just don't.

Doing so could cause me to make a lapse in judgement, something I should not, never, do with a target on my back and suspicious looks around me. If I slip up, even slightly, I could end up losing my chance to return. I could ruin my beloved siblings' childhood.

That's something an older brother should never do. So stop being a bitch and think of a way out of this.

KNOCK KNOCK

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. I had thought someone was going to break in the room.

But then again, they wouldn't announce their presence, would they? I mean, if I was an assassin out to collect a bounty, I wouldn't announce myself to the bounty, right? Maybe it could work, to lower my guard and then instantly stab me through the gap of the door once they see me?

No, no no.

You've been watching too many movies and anime with the twins. No one is that stupid to come up with an overly complex assassination plan.

But this is a world of magic. Wouldn't they try to use a knock to confirm someone was in? And if they recognize the voice, use magic to pour poison gas in the room to subtly take me out?

ARGH Enough! Your overthinking again! Keep calm and breathe.

I tried to breathe deep to calm myself down.

KNOCK KNOCK

But then another pair of knocks came again. Along with an innocent and non-assassin-like voice.

"Um, did one of the Hero's companions, Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, need something? I heard a noise from the other. Is there anything you need brought to you?"

Female, young. A maid, probably. But it didn't feel as monotonous as I had expected. The last maids I saw gave off the opposite impression compared to this one so they seemed to be completely different. Then again, those were up at the cathedral. This one was either a new recruit, or a palace maid.

Oh, right. I was sleeping in a room at the palace, not the church. It would make sense to have the host assign someone, in this case several at once, to assist the guests when needed.

I looked at myself in the mirror. It was a bit dark and I couldn't see my shape very well, but I still saw the small sunlight reflected from my wet chest. I still had my top off. But looking at the sleepwear, it was similarly damp with sweat and if I put it on now, I might draw attention to myself. Can't have the maid reporting to her superiors that she found me wet as a dog, probably from sweating buckets.

What if they interpret that as me being too anxious for their expectations of me? But if the church heard, they could assume I was nervous about something. Maybe, it would lead to them finding out about my bluff. Then there'd be really nothing left to them just removing me from this world. Permanently.

.

.

.

Shit.

Not good. I needed to come up with an excuse. I absentmindedly started pacing again, the sound of my footsteps on the carpet muffled yet audible due to how fast I was going.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Yamamoto Eichirou-sama?"

I stopped in my tracks. Sweat trickled down my forehead. And a solution came to me.

* * *

KNOCK KNOCK

"Yamamoto Eichirou-sama?"

The young maid knocked again. A third time now, and she hoped the guest within replied this time.

She had fumbled her duty. Proper etiquette dictated he was supposed to announce her presence and purpose as soon as she knocked the first time. Although, having to get up from her sleep to immediately attend to a guest that may or may not need her at all wasn't something a normal person was able to naturally do.

It was the unfortunate nature of her circumstances, however, that forced her to take on the job of a palace maid in the first place. As it was, it paid well, better than most jobs on the streets. And thank Ehito for her above average looks! She wasn't one to brag, but if it wasn't for this blessing, she would have had to sell herself to slavery or be forced to prostitution just to provide for her sick mother and little brother.

But still, the job of a palace maid was something she wouldn't wish upon anyone.

Having to get up and ready early in the morning before the head maid herself, continuously cleaning every nook and cranny of the palace to make sure not a single smudge was left in each wing, being at the beck and call of any nearby superior be they a royal, guest or a senior officer, and going to bed far later than anyone only to repeat the cycle?

A tear nearly escaped her as she thought about her pitiful state.

'Not good,' she thought. 'It's rude to be emotional in front of the guests.'

And these were not just any guests. More than just any army or civil officials. Not even foreign dignitaries or envoys could compare. By Ehito, no. These were otherworlders. People from a different world that answered the call from Ehito to save us from the threat of Devils.

'They were our salvation,' was the great Pope Ishtar-sama's words.

If, by any way, she actually ends up offending one of them, then the salvation they could bring may be halted. That was bad. Really, really bad. If she ended up causing the Hero and his companions to leave, the world's end would be in her hands. It wasn't something she could take. If it was just her, maybe. But her family could be harmed, excommunicated, or even killed for her transgressions against the otherworlders.

Not good. Not good. Stay focused. Don't embarrass yourself before him. Such a thought had her rubbing another nervous tear from the corner of her eyes. Thankfully, she was done by the time the 'special guest' decided to open the door.

'Finally, now I could fulfill his request and go back to sleep' was her train of thought.

"Ah, Yamamoto Eichi… rou…-sama…" the train ground to a halt.

How could it not? For before her was not a sleepy guest in need, but the muscular form of a half-naked young man, _with a nice-looking body_, who looked to be completely awake, _and hot and ready_.

.

A moment passed.

.

Another moment passed.

.

She realized she was staring and collected herself for now.

"Ahem, uhm, did you need anything of me, Yamamoto Eichirou-sama?"

The young maid could only look past his form and into the room, past his above average, _yet impressive_, form. Though, the expression on her face waivered slightly, she had to persevere.

'Think of brother and mother. Think of brother and mother. You need this job to provide for brother and mother. You need this job to provide for brother and mother. You need his bod to—! Stop. Stop. Stop!'

She almost lost her composure if not for the guest himself speaking up to her.

"Oh, I apologize for my appearance," he tried to cover himself with a damp shirt, but the young and innocent maid's eyes still slowly strayed from over his shoulder to look at his collarbone and a bit down his chest—! 'NO STOP! FOR BROTHER AND MOTHER'S SAKE, STOP!'. "I'm normally up by this time, and I was a bit nervous about sleeping in a place that wasn't my home so I tried to do some light exercise to ease off the tension."

"Ah, is that so…?" 'that explains that _gorgeous_ bod—STOP!'

"Is something the matter?" his calm, _yet soothing_, voice asked in concern.

She must've been obvious in her spacing out for him to ask. Ugh, if the head maid heard about it, lashings and no meal was the least of her worries.

"Ahem, no. Nothing at all." She straightened herself out and continued looking past his _remarkable_ form—AHEM, before resuming the proper procedure. "Well, Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, if that would be all, I will return to my duties now."

"I'm sorry for the trouble," he said while scratching the back of his head. This only exposed the side of his _well-toned_ abdomen which the young maid quickly had to divert her attention from. "I apologize for waking you up so early."

"Eh?" she spoke aloud. Immediately, she covered her mouth, thinking her dumbstruck expression could've offended the young, _muscular_, man in some way. But she was still stunned, unable to comprehend how he guessed correctly.

"From your tired expression alone, I could guess that you had just woken up." He explained with a calm and knowing expression. The charming smile he made caused butterflies in her stomach to flutter restlessly. "I wish I could make it up to you for ruining your sleep."

'You could take me and—NOOOO! STOP! That's dangerous! He's an otherworlders! An Apostle of the god Ehito, himself! You're not worthy for that honor!'

"Eh, uh… uhm… no. You don't have to go out of your way… for someone like me…" All she could do was mumble in reply. "In fact, I should be honored… to be able to serve you…"

'Oh, god, I would serve you so—STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPU!'

"Well, there is one thing I want to ask."

Oh thank god, she thought. If she could fulfill his request and begone, she could save herself from the embarrassment of turning as red as an apple in front of one of 'the salvation of the world'.

"Is there a place within the palace that stores a large amount of information about Tortus that I would be allowed to study?"

Information gathering? Oh, of course, he wasn't from this world. It would make sense for him to go look for it to help him and his fellows fight the Devils. Nodding in response, she answered but tried to remain as composed as possible.

"There is the library that the Kingdom's officials and royal family uses. I could pass on a request to ask permission for you to the King, if you wish?"

It would be troublesome, but if she said it was the request of a Hero's companion, she was sure the permission would be granted immediately. Anything for the sake of salvation from the Devils.

"Thank you. I owe you for this favor." Suddenly, the young, gorgeous, man bowed to her. An Apostle of Ehito was bowing to her, a maid.

"Uhm, what are you doing?! Please, raise your head! Yamamoto Eichirou-sama?!"

"Ahahah, I apologize," he replied. "In my world, this is how we show gratitude and respect to others. It's a habit so I'm sorry for startling you."

The smile he gave in reassurance was soft and warm. And it _charmed_ the young maid.

Thank Ehito, I became a maid.

"Uh, no," she started mumbling again. "There's nothing for you to show gratitude for. Please, excuse me."

Unable to take it anymore, the young maid curtsied as per etiquette and walked away. Albeit, she did all of that as quickly as she could, for she couldn't prevent her face from glowing like the morning sun.

A few hours later during her break, after fulfilling her tasks and submitting _his_ request, her fellow maids would question as to why the young girl was beaming like a child. She would not answer, knowing that doing so would only prompt more annoying questions. Or worse, call attention of the strict head maid, herself.

But then again, she didn't understand what made her feel so… happy? She did know _who_ caused it. But saying anything further was dangerous. To assume the Apostle of God was attracted to a simple palace maid was improper, borderline sacrilegious. She shouldn't say such things for fear of the repercussions affecting her family. However, if her feelings were to come into question… could she say she found him attractive?

Such questions burned her thoughts, causing steam to escape her ears, as well as the strict head maid to slap a paddle on her behind to startle her to attention.

She would be lightly teased and ridiculed by her fellow maids for the slip-up. But the troubling feelings in her heart still remained.

The butterflies in her stomach continued to flutter, but that was her concern to be resolved for another time.

* * *

"Oh, god, she was definitely suspicious of me."

With my back on the closed door, I tried to calm down myself. But it was a tad bit difficult, seeing as I might have fucked up badly with that exchange. The way the maid was eyeing my chest was extremely telling.

"Yeah, there's no way in hell anyone'd think that a bit of 'light exercise' would cause one to sweat buckets, is there?"

Although I spoke to myself, not expecting a reply, I actually wished there was someone who would. Not just to freak me out of my panic, but to reassure me that my worst fears of the pope's spies in the palace was nothing more than overthinking on my part.

Maybe this is why mom told us to stop watching anime and movies too late into the night. I somehow absorbed all those unrealistic yet paranoia-inducing shenanigans the villains used to get one over the protagonist, my heart's thumping was the only thing I could hear in my head.

But at least, there was a bright side? What, you might ask? There was a library within the palace. It might not be free from the church's influence as it may have already been infiltrated by spies, but some information about this world is better than nothing. Knowing was half the battle, and I was NOT going to lose this one.

'I'm doing it for my family. Focus on that and only that.' I inhaled deeply, then exhaled. 'Calm? Good.'

If the pope was going to play around with him, then it was the best option to continue the ruse. Better to die trying than to just rot away.

I made up my mind and went to look for some clothes. The maids had brought in a good assortment and picking comfortable ones should be my first objective for the day. My school uniform needed washing, but that was fine. If I wore them again, it could make the royals think I didn't trust them.

For now, they might be pawns. I wasn't sure, but better safe than not. And if they weren't, they would at least think I appreciated the gesture and showed some respect. After all, what kind of rude guest would I be to turn down my host's hospitality.

To act my part of the play, I needed the costume.

* * *

Walking down the palace halls, the class of otherworlders made small talk on their way. Some were talking about how great they slept, some about the amazing furniture and beds. Others were a bit depressed and how they weren't able to get some rest.

Quite reasonable as this was to be their first day of training for their new job as the Apostles of the god, Ehito.

But among the group was a pair that trailed slightly to the back of the group. Only slightly as Nagumo was positioned at the very rear, just behind them.

"Hey, Gochin, have you seen Eichin?" Nomura Kentarou had his arms behind his head as he walked. It might've looked a bit arrogant, but in truth, he was attempting to massage his neck. Having always slept on a futon, he was slightly uncomfortable with the soft fluffy bed. "Weren't we all supposed to have breakfast together with the class?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Walking next to him wearing a tired 'old man' face, Nagayama Jugo marched along. His eyes were glancing around here and there, scanning the beautiful portraits they passed along the hall. It seems he had a thing for art. That or maybe he just wasn't used to seeing so many that would make a museum in Japan cry in shame. "Haven't seen him since last night."

In reality, neither wanted to go back and check his room. With just how large the palace was, one could easily get lost. And asking one of the drop-dead gorgeous maids that passed by for directions was just plain embarrassing if you weren't a girl, Ai-chan-sensei, or the alpha male Amanogawa Kouki himself.

Speaking of which, it was why they were all walking congregated like they would when switching classrooms on the first day of school. Unknowingly, they moved with a pack mentality, so to speak. They even had the metaphorically weak link trailing the rear.

They might even unconsciously think they left the most cowardly of them all behind.

It wasn't a secret that the majority of the class believed the transfer student was a coward. After his outburst of a refusal and the weird sudden proclamation of getting them all back home by surpassing god, everyone either thought he was off his rocker or a boasting coward.

Some of the girls and a handful of boys thought the former. Hiyama and his posse fully believed and was ridiculing the guy about the latter. As for these two, they had chosen neither.

After having met Yamamoto, he didn't seem like he was a religious fanatic that strongly opposed war. Maybe it was one of this Anima's version of the Christian Ten Commandments or something. But he wasn't really much of a coward either.

He was just seemed like someone who didn't want to get unnecessarily pulled into conflict.

Actually, they thought he was amazing for keeping such a calm mindset during the whole thing. They had immediately opted to join Kouki in the war as long as they could go back home after, but Yamamoto didn't. He was even calm enough to point out the inconsistencies of the pope's words.

A bit of a downer once they realized Ishtar was hiding the fact that even he didn't know Ehito's plans for them after, but now they had the pope's word that his god would reward them in some way. Yamamoto, deciding that the vague promise for a way home wasn't enough, vowed to surpass the god of this world and find his own path.

Ambitious, maybe. Arrogant, most likely. But they both had to agree his logic was sound. Ehito needed them to do something he couldn't. That meant, in a way, they were probably stronger than or as strong as Ehito.

Neither of the two really worshipped god back in their world. They prayed at shrines, during ceremonies, asked for god's blessing at weddings, or family grave visits but that was more of a formality and well-wishes than actual religious devotion. But thinking it was necessary to summon otherworlders for help only reinforced the fact of their near equality to Ehito's power.

Religion aside, as for Yamamoto, such a calm yet determined stance against war and the ambition to save the whole class from that fate. Was this what they called an ideal Japanese of the modern world? Where did such conviction come from, they wonder?

Was it because he was raised outside of the peace-loving Japan? The country wasn't free from crime, no. But it hardly took a downward spiral as bad as terrorist attacks in America or like the child soldier thing Ai-chan-sensei said that happened in Africa. Was it because Yamamoto was just more knowledgeable about these things?

Whatever the case may be, they silently agreed that, in some way, the transfer student was more impressive than Kouki who took justice as the only right thing to do. When compared, both teens would agree to go home rather than be forced to fight in a war. It was just their one-choice situation that forced them to agree with Amanogawa.

"Think he still might be in his room?" Kentarou mused. "I'd hate to leave him hanging back there if we start training today."

"Maybe he had trouble sleeping like you," Jugo replied. "It'd probably be best to just let him rest."

Having already left their rooms about five minutes ago, going back didn't seem like a good idea unless they were able to ask for some help getting back to the group. But only maids roamed these halls! It was hard to even look at one without blushing. That was just how beautiful they looked. Of course, they were palace maids, so appearance was no doubt one of the criteria for hiring one.

Then again, they were teenagers going through puberty. It was a solid fact that the majority of the guys in the class could not compare to the one and only embodiment of perfection himself, Amanogawa, that their sense of inferiority caused a drop of confidence levels.

"Don't worry—" "Uwah!"

"I checked his room a while ago. He wasn't there."

"Oh, thank god, it's just Kochin…"

"_Good morning_ to you too, Ken-chan."

Seemingly appearing out of nowhere, Endou Kousuke made his morning debut. A slight twinge of anger apparent in his greeting to Nomura.

"Eheheh… sorry…"

"It's fine."

It was the usual. He wasn't really mad. Just slightly annoyed at how loud Kentarou shouted in surprise. If he didn't announce his presence, no one would be able to notice he was even there.

Of course, the new exception so far was Yamamoto, but he wasn't even in his room. That lead to the question: Where did he go?

"Maybe he went exploring?"

"After he made his point that he didn't like being summoned here? Eichirou already said he wanted to leave. I doubt he'd want to spend his free time playing hooky instead of looking for a way back."

Jugo shot down Kentarou's suggestion. After what they witnessed yesterday, it was clear Eichirou would not help them fight a war. He said he would try to find a way home by himself if he needed to. Even if it was just for his own sake, it would be a literal godsend if he actually did so. Neither knew who Anima was nor ever heard about such a god before, but they would be saved from the risk of death.

"Eh, you've got a point."

Fighting a war wasn't on the top of any of the trio's list. It didn't even make it in the top one hundred things to do. But since they had no other option available to them, they had to at least do something. It didn't occur to them to suggest another way, but they were really about to lose their minds yesterday. It was the same for most of the class.

Which was why Nagumo behind them and the rest of the class before them never mentioned a peep about Yamamoto Eichirou. No one mentioned the missing transfer student who promised to find them a way home without fighting the war they all volunteered for as they made their way down the hall.

After a few minutes, the group stopped at the massive doors of the royal family's dinner hall. They had been invited to do so the night before to have a meal with the King, who was a devout follower of Ehito and the Church of Saints as proven by his honoring the pope with a kiss to the palm. Being such a religious man, he wanted to express his gratitude to the Apostles who were the salvation of the world. As if he didn't do so much already just last night.

"We have arrived at the hall. I've been told to pass a message to you all that the Knight Commander, Meld Loggins-sama will arrive after your meal to orient you on your training."

The maid which escorted them said as much and gave a small curtsy before leaving. Many of the boys eyed her as she gracefully took her leave. Some with lecherous eyes. Those were countered by the girls' scolding glares. Being at the end of the group that saw the girls' response, the trio plus Nagumo reacted differently.

Jugo kept his eyes straight and lightly bowed as the maid passed, which she regretfully returned, causing 'old man' face to glow red slightly. Kentarou ignored her completely, pretend-whistling while trying to admire the beard of the previous King's portrait. Kousuke disappeared. And Nagumo, who felt a strong glare from the front, was forced to wonder why Shirasaki was still staring at him. It was a mystery as to why.

Not that he would find out until waaaaaaaay later.

But, anyways, they were before the door.

"Everyone let's be on our best behavior now. Stay calm and be polite, okay? Do it for sensei, okay?"

Ai-chan-sensei, despite acting like a teacher was anything but one in the class' eyes. But her words held truth.

They were to meet with the King.

Knowing this, they all presented themselves as best as they could. Yesterday was an impromptu meeting, so they weren't able to prepare. But after a good night's rest, for most of them, they had to look decent. The King himself wanted them to be comfortable with their stay and was not expecting them to come in formal. So they agreed to be presentable at least.

With the advice of the maids, they all wore clothes that made them feel at home in the palace. Some kept their uniforms. Others wore the fine but more reserved of the garments stored within their closets. Of course, as soon as they found them too gaudy or frilly to even wear, most of them, specifically the girls, opted out of the rich Victorian-era fashion and wore simple pants, blouses, dress shirts, and in some cases, vests.

Amanogawa took to wearing a white dress shirt, black trousers and a brown waist coat. With his brown indoor shoes and the unbuttoning of the dress shirt's collar, it only made to accentuate his impressive 'cool aura'. The guys wore similarly but failed at the presentation. Some were tight fitted and a bit on the ripping end like Sakagami, while skinny ones like Kousuke looked like they were stuffed in a white bag. Hiyama Daisuke looked decent but was actually a slob with his own dress shirt untucked and wrinkled under the vest.

The girls somehow made theirs worked, just barely though. Taniguchi Suzu as well as Hatayama Ai-chan-sensei looked like children trying to play dress-up pretend. It was adorable, to those who weren't them. But Suzu, who despite her childish appearance was actually an old man on the inside, played her revenge through teasing the busty classmates who found it difficult to wear the Victorian-era blouse-and-skirt combo.

Yaegashi found it most difficult. Tomboyish and normally sporting shirts and shorts under her kendo gi and hakama, her curves were exposed more than she was used to. The skirt reaached down to her knees but actually accentuated her thin waist. Her face was slightly red, but she endured as best as her kendo spirit could. Shirasaki, meanwhile, looked like the usual angel she was, comfortable and beautiful without a shred of doubt.

All in all, they were as casual as they could be. And yet, they lacked the proper air of the Apostles they were deemed as. They all acted nervously, exempt for a handful, but akin more to a school trip than a meal with royalty.

CLACK~CREEEEEAAAAK

The heavy doors made a loud noise, enough of an announcement to the class' presence.

"HAHAHAHAHA! And you say this young girl, not even of seventeen years of age, was leading armies to battle under the banner of Anima?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Joan was but a child only a few years older than the princess. And yet, with her pious faith, she turned the tides on every battlefield she was present on."

However, they didn't expect the King to already be entertaining a guest.

Sat next to the King with his arms waving about, was a young man formally dressed in black trousers and tailcoat. The dark vest he wore above the grey dress shirt depicted sophistication as well as maturity. Not one article of his apparel would look out of place in a ball. His extremely formal attire made Amanogawa's look smart casual in comparison. Only a handful of the class noticed it was Yamamoto who had been absent from his room since the beginning.

Despite being so formally dressed, he spoke quite informally to the King. Although, the monarch wasn't offended. In fact, he was enjoying it, as well as Princess Liliana who sat opposite the guest to her father's left. An enthused smile adorned her beautiful features, befitting of the child she was. It was unlike the pokerfaced princess the class had met yesterday.

"An amazing story. Truly, and of such a young girl strong in faith. How I wish there would one day be someone of similar faith to be born in my kingdom." Shaking Yamamoto's hand with both of his own, the king continued to shower him with praise. "Your god Anima is truly benevolent to have blessed his people with such a heroic child."

"I wouldn't say so, Your Highness," Yamamoto shook the aged man's hand back with a lowered head. "Joan was simply doing what she believed to be Anima's will. I highly doubt such a humble and simple soul would accept anyone calling her a blessing. But I agree with you that having such a martyr born to defend your country is more than enough proof that you and your people are beloved by Ehito."

"Indeed," The king agreed with a nod and a smile. Noticing that the door had been opened too let in new guests, the king changed gears immediately. "Ah, the Hero and the rest of your companions have arrived. Regrettably, it seems we have to cut our exchange short. I quite enjoy your stories. I would like to hear more of them."

"It would be an honor, Your Highness." Getting up and kneeling before the monarch, Yamamoto's actions momentarily brought pause to not just his classmates, but to the King as well.

"Please, Eichirous-sama! An Apostle of Ehito shouldn't prostate so much to a mere follower of god!" reaching low, the king tried to get Yamamoto to stand up. But unsure as to how to do so, he ended up hanging both arms just above the well-dressed teen's shoulders.

Yamamoto acquiesced. However, he addressed the king formally with a standing bow instead.

"You may call me that, but I am also merely a follower of Anima." Smiling at the king, he added. "As fellow believers of our respective gods, we are equal in soul as well as faith, rank be damned." Immediately, he lowered his head once more. "However, this is your world. Your home, as well as Ehito's domain. As it stands, I am merely a guest both to your palace and to your world, and thus, not your equal. So please, accept this much as a token of my respect to your rule as well as granting me the favor to study in your library."

"But…"

The king looked conflicted. Even the princess gave up her poker face once more to glance between her father and their guest. The class wasn't even part of the conversation. As Endou has done since he was born, they simply observed, waiting for Eichirou's reply.

"If you cannot accept me as inferior to yourself, could you please accept me as a friend, instead?"

Everyone's hands clenched in nervousness. After a few seconds, the king looked to burst out in anger at the audacity. Amanogawa seemed ready to jump in and scold his classmate's arrogance. But the king wasn't mad. He just struggled to accept such a gracious gesture. After the moment passed and before an interloper could intervene, the king sighed in defeat.

"Haaah… Very well. Then, from this day forward, you are Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, one of the Apostles of Ehito and my very own friend. May our conversations be as fruitful as they are entertaining."

The King could only relent. Such a logical argument was not lost to the classmates, but having rarely prostrated before the monarch, they all just stood, stunned by the scene. The king didn't mind them, however. He simply smiled like a grandfather awaiting his grandchild's first words.

"Then, may my stories entertain you as your words have honored me, Eliheid S. B. Heiligh-ousama."

"None of that, Eichirou-sama. Refer to this one as simply Eliheid." The King smiled warmly and then turned to his daughter to whisper something into her ear. It must've been good news because she had never beamed as she did until now. She approached the formal Yamamoto and curtsied.

"Eichirou-sama, as you are a friend of the king, you have permission to study all our history and books on magic for as long as you wish. Please, allow this Princess Liliana S. B. Heiligh to escort you to our great library."

"It would be an honor, my Lady." Returning a courteous bow to the young fifteen-year-old princess, Yamamoto replied. At the same time, he did so with the king as well. "Your Highness."

Nodding in response, the king let his new friend escort his daughter out. Soon, the pair were walking side by side, with Yamamoto arm being dragged by the princess' own.

Jealous gazes filled the hall. The boys were doing their usual spite glares. The girls, however, was starting another rumor of the previous nobody becoming a dashing prince charming that successfully wooed the princess. It was another one of those days. But Yamamoto didn't seem bothered by it. At least, not in Endou's eyes, as he had been observing the guys every move ever since he spotted him chatting up the king.

"Ah, my Lady, forgive my rudeness, but would you allow me a moment to speak with my friends?"

"Certainly."

Relinquishing her grip on his arm, Yamamoto approached Nagayama, Nomura, and Endou, all the while attracting the attention of the other students. Even Kouki was walking towards him, albeit a bit slowly as he was unsure on how to react with the King and Princess present.

"Eh? Eichin? Eh? EHH?!"

"Good morning to you too, Kentarou-kun."

Nomura could only glance between Yamamoto and the Princess. It would have been considered rude, however, neither Royals minded their reaction. To them, it was Yamamoto acting weird as he brought it upon himself to bow before someone who considered himself beneath the Hero and his companions.

"Did you sleep well, Jugo-kun?"

"Uh, uhm. Yeah," Nagayama, suddenly being addressed, initially stuttered. "You?"

"Slept like a log, but to be honest, I missed home a bit too much and woke up early."

"Ah… so that's why no one saw you leave… How'd you end up with the king though?"

"Yeah, I was a bit hungry. Asked a maid if I could have breakfast early as I wasn't feeling too well. Turns out, they told the king and he just popped in to keep me company. The princess joined us as soon as she woke herself. Only Princess Liliana and I ate, though. The king wanted to have a meal with all of you."

Well, that explained it. Most of it. They didn't understand why he was telling the king stories though. It was odd. Or why he was so dressed up for it too.

"…"

"Good morning to you as well, Kousuke-kun."

"!"

"Yes, I still see you. Did you think I'd forget you exist after a day?"

"Uh… no… not really…" Endou mumbled. "What's up though? And why are you all dressed up like you're taking the princess to a dance?"

"Well, when I heard there was a library, I thought I should ask permission from the royal family if I could browse. Of course, I said it was to find a way to aid the Hero and the other companions, but I also said I wanted to find a way home."

"They let you do that?!"

"Well, when I told them it may be best to find more help rather than leave it to just us kids, the king agreed almost immediately. He even apologized for what happened. Seems Ishtar filled him in on my stance of the problem."

"The king… agreed?"

"Well, when you think about it, you ask for help from those most capable of giving it. Asking children like us to fight a war is a bit careless in hindsight, especially if you all want to get out alive. But as we are now, it would be best to do what we can, right?"

Not a hint of a lie, and yet not the whole truth. Endou could smell a secret but didn't bother prying. There was no need to do so when the guy was just doing what he thought was right.

It was a stupid thought. With just how much Eichirou had managed to impress not just Kousuke, but the entire class as well, it was hard to be surprised at what he did anymore. And they've only known each other for a day! Speaking of the class,

"Yamamoto-kun! Is this where you've been this whole time?! Mou! Sensei was worried about you, y'know?! Don't ever scare sensei like that again! You hear me?!"

Despite the angry little sensei before him, Yamamoto just took in stride.

"I apologized for causing you to worry, Hatayama-sensei." Bowing in her direction, it seemed like he was leaning in for a kiss, or so everyone of the gossip girls would think, but he was actually looking down towards his feet. "I just wanted to put in some early effort to find a way home. I promise I won't jump ahead of myself again, Sensei."

"Ah—! Erm, well. Ahem, as long as you understand. Sensei forgives you." Hatayama quickly concedes just after being shown proper respect normally given to a teacher. 'Too easy,' thought most of the class. Endou could only let out a half-cough, half-laugh that went unnoticed to everyone else.

"Excuse you, Kousuke-kun." Except Yamamoto.

"Yamamo—"

"Eichirou-sama," cutting Kouki off, Princess Liliana quickly grabbed on to Eichirou's arm and began dragging him away. This only reinforced the delusions the girls were having and deepened the envy the boys were suffering. "If you don't hurry, I won't be able to hear more of your stories before my less—ahem. I mean, you won't be able to enjoy our assorted collection!"

"Please, don't worry, Princess Liliana." Eichirou spoke to reassure the child acting as she should for someone her age. "It's very early in the day. I'm sure we have the time to enjoy it all."

Endou watched as Yamamoto left the hall. On his way, he passed by Nagumo who he spared a glance and, from what Kousuke saw, a few words. Nagumo made a confused face for a while but returned to neutral immediately after.

Kousuke neither knew nor understood what he just saw, but it obviously meant Eichirou wasn't joining them for breakfast. How disappointing.

And he also wanted someone to talk to and not just observe everyone else all day.

* * *

Turns out observing was even more of a nightmare with no one to talk to. The rumor mill had begun to pump out random stories about how Yamamoto managed to become the Princess' fiancé in under a day. And it wasn't even past breakfast time yet. The guys that were jealous chewed but didn't taste the food.

The king, however, was preoccupied to even hear the news of his daughter's unofficial engagement. He was too busy conversing with Amanogawa's party. Praising Ryutarou for his muscles, Shizuku for her poise, and Kaori for her beauty for the umpteenth time. Kouki, however, looked listless. It was as if he was deep in thought. He responded to the king but even the other three could tell something was off with Mr. Popular.

Endou Kousuke simply watched on and about the table, taking it all in like the observer he always was.

"I wonder what's Yamamoto planning on doing?"

"He said he was going to the library to find us a way home, wasn't he?"

"Heh, maybe the coward's just playing hooky?"

"Daichin, is that really all you think he is?"

"Daisuke, Eichirou isn't that kind of person."

"You really sure about that? You've only spoken to him yesterday. What else is he gonna do right now, other than seducing the princess, of course?"

"Hiyama, you shut your disgusting mouth! You're at the king's table!"

"Suzu, calm down. Hiyama-kun, that's not a good thing to say about someone who's trying his best to help our situation."

"You don't have the right to talk, Hiyama. You didn't even think of trying to find a way home."

"Shut up, Tsuji! You're just the same."

"Even if she wasn't you're still showing disrespect for the royal family. You should be ashamed for even suggesting such a vulgar thing."

"Aya-chan, Mao-chan, and Eri-chan are right. Stupid Hiyama!"

"Tch. Hmph!"

The boy was defeated with a sour look on his face. The argument ended without the king even taking notice. Having been too distracted by the popular gang, not a single word from their spot on the table bothered the others. Endou watched as Hiyama continued to gorge on his meal. The girls, Taniguchi, Nakamura, Tsuji, and Yoshino, not wanting to spoil the food simply ignored him and his gang for the rest of theirs.

Jugo and Kentarou, who had immediately rushed to Eichirou's defense just resumed eating but refused to glance in Hiyama's direction. Endou sighed in frustration. After watching that exchange, the lines drawn in the sand were clear.

He, Jugo, and Kentarou were on Eichirou's side. The girls, or these four at least, didn't find any reason to hate him. But Hiyama and his posse were solidly against, even hostile, towards the guy.

Maybe it was envy or inferiority at the realization that the one they originally thought was going to be just another transfer student was actually as capable as, or more so than, Kouki in garnering favor with the King. Maybe they saw Eichirou's theoretical claim to be superior to Tortus' god Ehito as foolhardy arrogance and wanted to take the guy down a peg.

Either way, it wasn't going to make it any easier for Eichirou to find a way back if the Four Assholes, Endou's personal name for them, decided to mess with him. Normally, they might resort to passing around rumors or some light harassment. That would be typical as they were all teenagers.

But not here in Tortus. Here, they were the equivalent of prophets of god. What any of the class said could be interpreted as the will of the god.

If the person that overhears them was a real live fanatic, it would be disastrous for Eichirou if they tried anything too far.

Taking this in, Endou mentally noted to keep an eye out for the Four Assholes. And maybe warn Eichirou as well when he got the time to speak with him. Speaking of which, when would that be?

Having said that he was going to the library now, maybe they would meet up with him in training later? Or Endou thought so.

All this while, Nagumo sat quietly in his seat with two _seemingly_ empty adjacent ones. He had been eating his meal, but every now and then, he would glance in the direction of the door one of his classmates had exited.

* * *

Time passed and the class, minus one, finished with their breakfast. As soon as the maids were done carting away empty plates and trays, the door opened once again. A few of the class expected Yamamoto to randomly enter but those expectations were disappointed.

Instead of a strapping, well-dressed lad, what came in was a heavily armored soldier. Metal clanked with every step he took as a dark cape fluttered behind him. Posture as straight as a pole, eyes as sharp as steel, and a face marred with scars from past battles he survived.

"Ah, great timing," the king suddenly spoke up. "My dear Apostles, this is the Knight Commander who will be training you all before you face off with the Devils."

The knight stood ramrod straight and saluted before children probably a third of his age.

"Meld Loggins, at your service. As His Highness has said, I shall serve as your combat instructor. I pleasure to make your acquaintance."

His deep voice exuded command. A confident aura that enveloped him was enough to make some of the girls swoon and the boys look in admiration.

Kousuke just stared at the metal man with awe.

'Such a strong presence. How do I get that?' was probably what he was thinking and also probably something Eichirou would have teased him for if he was present. How Kousuke thought he knew what Eichirou would do was beyond him but it was as good as truth.

Meld Loggins seemed to be a man of many experiences, on the battlefield as well as off it. It was probably why he had been chosen to train them.

Following after the man as he led them down the hall, they came upon the training grounds. From all the weapon racks, equipment cases, practice dummies and more, it was clear the place was just that. And a rather large one to boot, judging by how Yaegashi was looking around in awe. Her family dojo's training space wasn't as vast as this and it showed at just how her eyes seemed to gleam. As expected of the Samurai Girl she was informally labelled.

"Please, young Apostles, gather around. We don't know when the Devils will resume their attacks so we better get you all prepared as soon as possible."

Emphasis on young, seeing as the youngest of the guards that observed from the entrance to the training area appeared to be in their early thirties. Endou watched as they all looked upon the classmates with nervous expressions. A few even had their hands clasped together in prayer. Endou probably thought it had something to do with their status as Apostles. The people of the Heiligh Kingdom were devout believers it seemed. But regardless of this fact, Meld kept his respectful expression but spoke to them as their superior. Despite asking them to refer to him in an informal manner, Meld's carfree personality still exuded admiration.

"This is a Status Plate," Meld suddenly held a transparent-looking card above his head for all to see. Endou and the rest started paying attention as a few guards began distributing similar cards to the class. "Simply put, they serve as identification cards and are able to show you your status and skills. Don't lose them, otherwise no one will be able to verify your identities until you get another one."

Endou observed the plate. 'Transparent' was not the word to describe it now that he had a close look of it. More reflective like glass. It was approximately the size of a smartphone, if not a bit larger, and there was a small carving in the corner.

After a short explanation of how to register themselves as the owners, they all took turns in letting a drop of blood touch their respective plate's magic carvings. The carvings glowed red at contact with the blood for a while. Soon they were all saying "Status Open" to see what stats they had.

Endou joined them as well, and soon, his stats were revealed.

His class was an Assassin. Subterfuge, spying, and covert operations specialization. In game terms, he would be a rogue class that sneaks around, causing confusion and distracting low-priority targets while targeting weak and high-threat ones or maybe scouting for traps and warning the group of ambushes.

An 'Unseen Threat' so to speak.

'Was that a jab it his low presence?' Kousuke felt a twinge of annoyance at the god who though it was funny to play around with his insecurities. Looking over his friends' shoulders, Jugo was Heavy Knight, a vanguard. Kentarou was a Geomancer. 'Was that a type of Earth Magic?'

Kousuke looked at his card again. Looking over his stats, his highest one was his Agility, meaning he was faster than most, supposedly. The second highest was Vitality. This was usually the equivalent of 'HP' or the 'Health' stat in some games. The rest in terms of highest to lowest was Strength, a tie between Magic and Magic Resistance, and finally Resistance. The 'Resistance' ones were probably equated to defensive stats or how much he could get away with before suffering damage while Strength itself was how hard he could hit things.

As it was now, his stats were just below a hundred each, the exception being Agility. Looking over to Jugo and Kentarou's again, they had differing stats each. Jugo's had higher in Resistances and Vitality but lower Magic and Agility. Kentarou had higher Magic but lost to even Kousuke in Strength and Resistances.

Looking over it, Endou saw there trio was pretty well balanced. Jugo at the fore, Kentarou as the rear, and him switching between when the situation demands it. Even if the Status Plates were mocking his non-existent presence, he had to admit, they were strangely cool.

"You've never heard of such a device, huh? I wasn't aware of that." Meld briefly sighed as a few others were showing amazement over the card. "Supposedly, this Status Plate is a type of ancient artifact."

"Artifact?" Amanogawa suddenly asked.

It was a simple term to denote its ancient nature, but the class had likely assumed it was supposed to be a historical relic to be placed in museums. Not put into the hands of children for use as identification.

"Artifacts are ancient tools that we have no possible means of replicating today. Stories about them are that they were created when Ehito-sama still roamed this land with his family."

'Ehito had a family? That was new,' Kousuke thought. 'Yet oddly strange as the king never mentioned it even when he spoke of Ehito's greatness during their meals.'

That aside, they resumed their lecture. Soon enough, Meld had run down the basics of their stats compared to other residents of Tortus.

In summary, they could get easily ten times more powerful than the average Tortusian, temporary term as Tortusling didn't have the same synergy as Earthling. Tortusians' stats are averaged in the tens to the teens. Supposedly, it had something to do with having a high magical power to exponentially increase stat growth.

Exceptional Tortusians like Meld were at the 200 mark but he had to get to level 62 just to get to that point. Amanogawa as a sample had all 100s in his stats but was just level 1. Quite the blessed character as always, Kousuke kept the thought to himself and reflected on the fact.

Endou surmised that if Amanogawa reached Meld's level, he would be three, if not five, times more powerful than the Knight Commander. And as Kousuke's class was that of an Assassin with a 100 Agility stat, he could be just as fast.

They soon got to classes and the division to two categories: Combat and Non-combat classes. Meld's lecture emphasized the rarity of classes amongst the people of Tortus. Out of every 1000 classes, only 1 gets to be a Combat type. As for the Non-combat types, the rule is the same but in a smaller less important scale, 1 exceptional one out of every 10 and a class out of every 100 people, e.g. 1 exceptional non-combat type out of a thousand people.

The numbers sound confusing, but it appears that Combat classes are considered rarer and more important than the Non-combat ones. Especially since the latter is delegated the jobs of supplying the former. In short, they value a Knight Class more than a man with the occupation of a knight. Going both ways, a Blacksmith Class outfitting a soldier is frowned upon as it is better to have them service a Knight Class instead.

'Quality over quantity,' Endou deduced.

Skills were a factor as well. The average Tortusian with a class had two or three. They were all based on the individual's talent or actual skills in life. They won't change and will remain as they are, but addition 'Derivation Skills' can be made by honing the originals, or so Meld described. It seems it was just a theory and not yet a proven fact.

From just peeping into the classmates around him, Kousuke guessed everyone had at least four or more. He noticed Jugo had a Resist Physical skill, reinforcing his role as a tank. Kentarou had an Aptitude to Earth Element. A very earth mage skill indeed.

"Oho, definitely a Hero then," Meld voiced his opinion as he was evaluating Kouki. Endou turned his attention there as soon as he heard it. "Having so many skills at such a young age. And only a Level 1 to boot, I'm a little depressed now. As a Hero, yes, this is very reliable."

Amanogawa was scratching his head in embarrassment at the praise for having 13 skills. But Kousuke read between the lines. It wasn't that Kouki was reliable, but that it would be good to have his cheat of a class in the fight with the Devils.

Looking down on his own card which only had 4 skills, 2 of which were mobility and stealth-based and the last as Language Comprehension, he felt slightly miffed at the results being anti-climactic. He expected to have something flashy or amazing as an assassin. Something ninja-like, akin to ninjutsu or similar.

And as much as having a very chunni, but embarrassing, Shadow Dance Skill sounded cool, , it was a bit underwhelming when all it could do was allow him to run on walls. The Presence Concealment Skill was an insult. It was nice, sure. But that was an insult to his pride. Especially since he probably couldn't turn it off on his own. What the hell, Ehito.

"Oi, oi, Nagumo," Hiyama's mocking voice suddenly broke through the excited murmuring of the class. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you get a non-combat class? How is a crafting class supposed to fight? Meld-san, is this class rare?"

Ah, he was at it again. Looking over the card he was flailing about in his hand, Kousuke saw Hiyama's stats and class. A Fighter, offensive frontliner. Tanky with high Resistances, Vitality and Strength. Average Agility and Magic. Glancing at Nagumo's, Kousuke had to blink twice and look again.

Synergist. All stats at 10. Skills consisting of the default Language Comprehension and a Transmutation one.

Non-combatant and as average as a Tortusian to boot. No wonder Hiyama was targeting him. Meld's shaky reply of Synergists' commonality, being 1 out of 10 and employed by all countries, didn't help.

One look at the phenomenally low stats and Hiyama's posse only jeered and laughed. Kousuke wanted to say something in Nagumo's defense, but really, what could such measly stats do? If the people of Tortus needed the help of otherworlders, what would one with stats equal to their own be worth? Another baggage to save, is it?

Unable to think of a defense, Ai-chan-sensei immediately rushed out.

"Hey! Stop laughing at your fellow classmates! Sensei won't allow such a thing! Absolutely not! Now return Nagumo-kun's plate!"

The little yet mad Aiko-sensei tried to comfort Nagumo. Kousuke overheard her saying she too was a non-combat type. Taking a peep, his eye's twitched at what he saw.

Hatayama Aiko-sensei, Farmer, had 100 magic, 90 more than Nagumo as well as 14 skills, 13 of which were farming-related, from planting to animal husbandry to fertilization to even rain control.

Well, she tried comforting him, at least she tried. But it only served to kill his last bit of confidence. Endou watched as Nagumo's dead eyes looked even more so. His last shred of hope being absentmindedly crushed by the airhead of a teacher.

She may have meant well, but she also may have forgotten her economics. In war, food was worth more than weapons. Even if Nagumo was able to outfit a hundred men, Ai-chan-sensei's airheadedness could keep a thousand well fed.

Kousuke looked away from the exchange just as Shirasaki came to Nagumo's aide. Looking around, no one dared to spare the same effort to console the poor guy. Kousuke would have if he could but there was no defending Nagumo's position. Jugo and Kentarou probably agreed with him as they went back to looking at their own plates.

From the corner of his eye, though, Kousuke saw a soldier approach Meld with another Status Plate in hand. Making a confused face, Meld started looking around. It was then Kousuke made his presence known. Damn Presence Concealment.

"Is something wrong, Meld-san?"

"Ah!" Meld was surprised to see Kousuke. How rude. He was just standing a few feet next to him, too. "You're…?"

"Endou Kousuke. Assassin." Giving the plate a glance, Meld must've understood now why he didn't notice Kousuke approach. Damn Presence Concealment.

"Ah, Kousuke-kun, well, it's nothing." He made a confused face so it was anything but nothing. "Just that we have a spare Status Plate. Strange, I thought every one of the Apostles were present."

"One of us is not here though."

"Eh?"

Kousuke looked at the man with a straight face. While his expression wasn't something as emotional or easily read, it hardly ever looked like he was making a joke with such a pensive face.

"Yamamoto Eichirou," Kousuke answered Meld's unasked question. "He went with Princess Liliana to the library just before we all had breakfast."

"Is that so?" For a moment, Meld's confident aura waned to one of uncertainty. "Strange, I wonder why no one informed me yet."

'That _was_ strange,' thought Kousuke. But never mind the complicated things. It was an easy thing to fix anyway. "How about I pass it on to him? I could give him a quick explanation too."

Of course, he had been listening. Small drop of blood to the carving, stats, skills, and class, etc. Too simple. Like a tutorial to an RPG he usually played on mobile phones.

"If it's okay with you, thanks." Handing him the card, Meld nodded in gratitude. "If he's preoccupied for the moment, then it would be a great help for you to pass it on to him. I still have to start your group's training, after all."

That was fair. It was his job to ready them. So maybe he could pass the plate to Eichirou later. Nothing wrong with dropping by after a good workout.

Oh boy, Endou Kousuke regretted thinking it was _just_ a workout. What they went through had probably reduced his Vitality by a good two-thirds. Thank god for his Agility, though. He remained in the front of all the laps they were made to run, just a fair bit behind Amanogawa and Yaegashi. Soon, it was enough for him to recognize the advantage of having his new Presence Concealment skill just to get away from the drills they were being put through.

He still cursed the infernal skill and the god who gave it to him in the first place, but damn, it was useful in its own way.

He fucking hated the Presence Concealment Skill.

* * *

Some time back, just after I met with the class.

Princess Liliana was such a child. Well she is just fifteen years old, but she was so very mature when we first met. The way her eyes just surveyed the class with a pokerfaced expression. Her greetings and gestures of respect to the creepy Ishtar and them, the so-called Apostles, were more than enough signs that she was more mature than others of her age. Well, Earthling teenagers, and maybe not the teenagers of Tortus. I highly doubt they would have teens here that spent most of their time talking about boys, clothes, and fashion if they were too busy just trying to get by or maybe dying of dysentery.

I don't know how it is outside this palace, but being all Medieval and such, I can only assume what life's like out in the streets.

But after she heard my stories from the Knights of Camelot to Joan of Arc, she suddenly did a 180 and kicked my expectations to the curb. She was soooo… childish. She enjoyed the fantasy elements even more so than her father enjoyed the faithful ones.

The only reason I chose those stories was because I was trying to pander to the King's religious tendencies. If I could find some common ground with him as a follower of my own god as he was with his, then maybe he could sympathize with my plight of wanting to return to my world.

And it worked! Sort of.

Now, I was doing it _not just to get _home, but also _to find a way to get reinforcements for the war_. Not my brightest idea, but if I'm gone by the time he realizes it was_ another bluff, _what could happen? I mean, _why the hell would I promise to give Medieval and religiously controlled nations the power of modern military armies?_ No way I could do THAT without getting into trouble with my OWN world's international laws. I mean, encouraging religious crusades against non-human entities should be covered in the Geneva Convention, right? RIGHT?!

I was also an entitled "Friend of the King", or whatever that was. I wasn't just given the position of a jester, was I? I mean, I _did_ try to entertain my way into his favor—no, don't think about that. Don't think about ANY of that.

First off, objective one has been cleared. I have permission to study in the library, _awaaaaaay_ from the fighting.

That being said, I had to deal with problem numero dos.

"My Lady, there's no need to rush. I'm not going to be leaving your company anytime soon."

"That may be true, but I mustn't disgrace my father by failing his request to guide you to the library. After all, I still have lessons to attend to after and I won't have the time to, ahem, _help you browse our collection_ until my break time in the afternoon."

Yes, well how nice of you to think of your father's honor first and your desires to squeeze another fantasy story out of me second.

I'm not gonna lie, she reminds me of my siblings when they wanted a bedtime story. However, that only happened until they were the age of seven! Seven! Half the age of Lady Liliana next to me! What kind of childhood-deprived life has she lived up till—oh, wait.

Christ, she was a princess, the eldest child to boot. Fuck, I forgot these kinds of kids had a lot of expectations placed upon them, at birth no less.

.

.

.

Goddammit. I'm too soft on kids.

"My lady, I may be an Apostle of Ehito, but I do need to rest as well." I smiled politely as she stopped in her tracks. The smile on her face that was only visible from the side had already said 'yes', but I had to give, let alone finish, the question first. I just didn't _want_ to be direct about it, lest it causes a grave misunderstanding! "If I have the time, I would like to have some tea as a short break."

"Why yes! That would be—! Ahem," the maid behind me, an aide to the princess, almost snickered at the blushing cough Princess Liliana used to stop herself. "That's a wonderful plan for the day, Eichirou-sama."

Oh god, her expression was too obviously a yes. I _have_ to invite her now.

"If it's not too presumptuous to ask, would you like to join me during your break, Lady Liliana?"

I bowed with respect. That is all it was. Respect. I'm not trying to woo the princess over here. I'm not seducing anyone. She's just fifteen for Christ's sake!

"Why, abso—ahem! Yes, that would be lovely, Eichirou-sama!"

"Well then, would my Lady please guide my humble self to the library so that we may finish up our duties as soon as possible?"

"Oh, uhm. Certainly, Eichirou-sama!"

Oh god, even the knights on guard duty were trying to stifle their chuckles. I CAN HEAR THE ECHOES IN YOUR HELMETS, GODDAMMIT! Hey! Don't you dare turn away! I know what your doing! The squeaks of the helmet can't hide what you're doing! I AM NOT A PEDOPHILE! OI!

Regardless of my opinion, they all continued to laugh behind my back. Hell, the princess' aide had given up restraining herself and was now just covering her mouth with a hand to her stomach. Any minute now and she would probably keel over.

Ah, shit. This was going to cause some major misunderstandings with the classmates. And that's if Amanogawa Kouki doesn't start scolding _me_ of how I am now_ taking advantage of Lady Liliana's kindness_!

As soon as that bastard opens his mouth, I should stuff it with some piping hot tea. And maybe some crumpets or biscuits just so he doesn't spit it out. Wouldn't want the Princess to be influenced by that self-righteous idiot.

One pawn to lead the class was enough and Liliana's father was already a pawn-turned king. I call bullshit on the illegal chess move to puppet the kingdom's team for the church's side, but I was trying to do the same with Eliheid for myself so can't talk, can I?

That being said, I really expected the king and princess would be more formal with me. Had I known; I wouldn't be wearing this ridiculous-looking outfit! God, Kousuke and the others were staring at me like I was a weirdo! How embarrassing! The tailcoat was a lucky find. If I had to wear one of those with frills and laces on the collar as well as the sleeves, I would have tried ripping them off to save myself from the shame.

If the twins were with me now…

"Aniki, you look so cooool! Me next! Help me be as cool as you next!" "Oniisama is dashing no matter what he wears. As expected of oniisama!"

No! Stop! No matter how much Daiki and Hanami praise me for this attire, this is going to be a one-time thing! Oniichan isn't the type to style up unless absolutely necessary! So DO NOT take notes on how to do it, Daiki! And STOP TAKING MEASUREMENTS, Hanami! Oniichan will never wear something this embarrassing again, you hear me! Never!

.

.

.

Well, maybe if they ask very nicely, I can—STOPU!

.

.

.

What if they heard I was associating myself with nobility in _this manner_—!

"Aniki, you lady-killer, you!" "Oniisama is so cruel, teasing a girl so hard. But then again, it's one of oniisama's charms…"

Daiiki, shut up. Hanami don't misunderstand your Oniichan! And stop saying such misleading words!

"Eichirou-sama? Eichirou-sama?"

Oh, shi—!

I snapped myself back to reality.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Is something the matter? You were spacing out. Are you feeling unwell?"

Princess Liliana was leaning closer to my face and placed a hand to my cheek as soon as she asked. The cool feeling of a young girl's hand to my face sent alarm bells ringing in my HQ (aka. Le Brain). Not the puberty kind of alarm, but the 'King finds me messing around with his innocent daughter' alarm.

Oi, oi, oi! That's gonna cause even more misunderstandings if you do that!

I tried a quick glance around us. Everyone else was already looking the other way.

I was metaphorically alone with the princess in this scenario as every guard and maid that that passed by made like Endou and snapped their presence to non-existence.

Well, fuck. Just wing it. Go with plan L, subsection G, '_Lancelot and Guinevere_'. With that in kind, I played the role as I remembered my acting instructor handled it.

Clasping her hand with my own, I lowered hers from my face but held them before my chest.

"I thank you for your concern, Lady Liliana," I gave her a smile of gratitude. "I was simply reminded of something as I talked with you. I'm feeling much better now with you by my side!"

A pause for silence as I awaited her reply.

"Ah, is that so," flushing red and slowly withdrawing her hand, which I released of course, she replied. "That's great. I was beginning to worry I had made you remember something bad."

I smiled and tried to reassure her. At least, during the moment, it was what I thought I did.

"My Lady, your presence has never done so nor will it in the future. In fact, your concern has calmed the turmoil within me. I thank you for that."

And a bow with a hand over my heart for formality's sake.

Oh, if she was a radish red before, she was a real tomato now. Was it something I said—?

.

.

.

OH MY GOD, WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST DO?!

.

.

.

Wait, keep calm. Maybe she's just anemic or something. She's probably flushed from the heat, right? Right?! RIGHT?! Let's caaaalmly ask and resolve the situation like adults, okay, Eichirou?

"My Lady, are you alright? Your face looks flushed." I placed a hand to her forehead. Oh god, it was hot. The temperature, not her fore—ah forget it! "You're burning up, my Lady! Maybe we should postpone the visit to the library—"

"NO!" She suddenly shouted. She probably didn't know she did. "No, I will be fine. I'm Liliana S.B. Heiligh. I won't fail my task because of something as simple as a small illness."

Whoa. Admirable. Such pride overflowed from her voice. An air of confidence brought not by talent, but hard work and effort. My asking to postpone her escorting me must've been like an insult. And yet, the look she gave me was more sensual than something given with a firm drive to complete a job. You are still as red as a tomato! Is this really alright?

I looked to her aide. She looked away from me but spared a glance with a knowing smirk. I looked to the guards. They all look away as well. But one of them gave me a thumbs up from behind his back. Another appeared to give me a nod, or maybe a wink under the metal face mask.

.

.

.

Oh Shit. I actually seduced the Princess.

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SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII—

* * *

Lady Liliana led me to the library.

Or more specifically, she escorted me. Gone was her pulling me by the elbow like a child. She had returned to acting mature now. Well, as mature as a fifteen-year-old first princess could be, but hell, she acted like a woman and I had to show my respect for one.

Her aide wasn't helping as she resumed her duties in following after her charge. But the glances she gave my back told me all too well of what she thought I just did.

'DON'T! Just breathe.' I breathed. And released. 'Now focus on the task at hand.'

Right. To find a way out of this mess—…

'Which mess specifically—' BOTH!

"We're here. Please, right this way, Eichirou-sama."

I was too preoccupied with the argument in my mind that I failed to notice that we had arrived. Waiting for us in front of the large doors was another maid. Older, more experienced. She had a strict look but her air exuded experience and seemed to demand respect with just her expression alone.

"This is the head maid," Liliana introduced to me before addressing her. "Have you selected one yet?"

"Yes, as His Highness commanded, I have one ready to await Eichirou-sama's every word."

"Thank you for being so diligent, Head Maid."

"Anything for the Apostles of Ehito-sama."

Liliana gave a nod while the Head Maid bowed in respect, maybe reverence.

'Uhm… what just happened?' Confused as I was, I didn't dare speak up. As soon as she was done with their little conversation, the Princess dismissed the Head and she vanished behind the shelves that were as large as—! 'Oh, my…'

I could only stare with a dumbstruck expression. How could I not? The bookshelves were huge—no, MASSIVE. The door didn't even reach the ceiling but the shelves were easily two stories high! They had ladders, LADDERS! To reach the top of each shelf. And they didn't have like ten or so shelves. Ooooh no. They had more. A LOT more.

Looking around, the walls were lined with books. A line of about twenty or so shelves on one side and another twenty on the other. Two long tables spanned the length of the room from either side of the center, where a stairwell was located leading up to a third, I say 'third' because the shelves easily counted as the second, floor. A single librarian stood perfectly still behind her desk at the other side of the hall, awaiting for the Princess' word while I stood there, stunned by awe at the size of the place.

Liliana had approached her, spoken a few words, immediately returned to my side. All the while, I was still silenced.

"Are you impressed with the Grand Library of Heiligh, Eichirou-sama?" Her proud smile seemed to boast.

"Yes, my Lady." I had to concede here. It was just too amazing. "How many books did you say was housed in this Library?"

"Approximately 500,000 books and about 200,000 scrolls from the old era."

Damn. That was a lot more than the Royal Library of Alexandria of Egypt or the Academy of Gondishapur of Iran. Neither of those ancient libraries could hold a candle to _this_. The US's Library of Congress beats them by millions, sure. But that was made possible through modern technology and the power of printing.

Looking over the nearest shelf and sliding a hand down the spine, I noticed it was a handwritten job with fine cursive writings and golden marks probably etched in by hand. I looked over to the Princess who gestured me to open one. I did so. I was right. Handwritten and perfectly preserved. Maybe it was magic, but not a single page looked yellowed out by age.

"This collection of yours is truly amazing." I spoke my thoughts aloud. "With such care and detail put into collecting, organizing and writing all these books, I must say. I have never seen anything as amazing as this place."

I closed the book I held and carefully returned it to its original spot. The librarian gave an appreciative nod in thanks. Well, if you had to maintain civility and organization in this hall of a library, even I would empathize with her job.

"I thank you once again, my Lady. Truly, you have given me more than I could've asked for."

Not a lie. With how ancient this library may have been, as well as how vast it was, there was sure to be something here that would lead me to finding a way back. If the magic they used to bring us here was from the god himself, then all I have to do is find something on the Age of Gods itself.

If magic itself was a science, then even better, I could try to learn and study it to make a portal back. Even if it wasn't specific as to what I had to do or how to obtain such power, I could look to the stories and fairytales about the oldest era.

All fiction is grounded in reality.

Red Riding Hood was a cautionary tale to prevent wandering out in wolf-infested forests, but it was similar to a child-friendly take on bandits that would murder, kidnap, rape, and pillage the unwary. Alibaba was a mystified version of how a simple yet kind merchant rose to greatness by outwitting thieves with the help of his loyal servant. Any magic worth its salt would spice up a good story, but they could also prove certain aspects of it.

If I've learned anything from those stories, it's that in one version or another, the real facts have been preserved. Unlike in my world, magic has existed in this world since Ehito made it. If I could have a crack at analyzing stories from this era, and differentiate truth from the exaggeration, then that's a new set of clues.

This was not a hopeless situation anymore.

"Eichirou-sama?! What's wrong? Why are you crying? Is it something I did?"

I didn't even think I was overreacting to my situation. I mean, sure I found the place were there could be a chance to find a way back. But that was all it was. A chance. It wasn't even one percent guarantee, let alone one hundred. But maybe it was because I had been stressing about it since yesterday that the tears just escaped.

Maybe that was also why I _accidentally_ enveloped the Princess in a hug.

"Eichirou-sa—Uwah?! Eichirou-sama? Um, please, we mustn't. I'm not worthy of such an honor—!"

"Thank you."

She stopped struggling. After a few seconds, she had a hand on my cheek.

"No," she said. "Thank you for trying to save my world."

.

.

.

Oh, right. There was that.

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SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII—

* * *

The two of them broke up from the… 'hug'. Or maybe it would be better to call it an 'embrace'—?

No. Stop. You're simply a servant girl. A maid. Don't think stupid thoughts. Apostle-sama, or Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, deserves better than a maid. Perhaps, the princess, yes. But not a maid.

A pang made itself known in the young maid's chest.

Once the two were done, Yamamoto-sama with drying up his tears with a cloth he pulled from his pockets and Liliana-ojousama with brushing down her dress and coughing to cover her flushed face, the Head Maid standing before her stepped forward. The moment she spoke, the young maid noticed the two's peaceful, _romantic_, atmosphere had popped like a bubble.

"Forgive my rudeness for interrupting, Liliana-sama." The strict old hag—I mean, lady bowed before the first princess. "I have brought her as requested."

"Ah, uhm, thank you, Head Maid."

Liliana-sama was flustered. A given, considering she seemed to enjoy Yamamoto-sama's presence.

"Eichirou-sama," the young maid felt the pang in her chest again. "I thought it would be hard for you to browse a large collection without some help. So I took the liberty of asking the Head Maid to assign someone to you. Of course, if it's fine with you?"

"Uh, oh! I thank you for your thoughtfulness, my Lady." It panged again. It hurt more this time, but she persevered without breaking a sweat. "I'll gladly accept any help you give me. I swear, on my faith to Anima, I will not let your efforts go to waste."

Anima? Help? None of these words made sense to her at all. For all that was on her mind, the young maid only firmly believed she was ruining the time Liliana-sama could spend with Yamamoto-sama. But the princess didn't let that bother her. Instead, she spoke to the maid respectfully and gestured her to step forward.

"Now, please, introduce yourself to Eichirou-sama. No need to be shy."

Of course, having spoken to Yamamoto-sama before, she could manage something of this caliber. And thankfully, this time he was fully clothed. And with just how handsomely he was dressed, there was very little need for the young maid to avert her gaze from that _muscled chest, those hard yet supple abs, or the strong, large arms_—!

Oh, no! She was back to daydreaming about the— NO STOP! You musn't! Otherwise Head Maid will—!

"The Princess has asked you introduce yourself." A chilling voice spoke next to her. Although it was softly spoken, there was the threat of a beating that followed. "Do not embarrass Her Majesty any further."

"She has done no such thing, Head Maid. Maybe she's just shy."

Liliana-sama, the angel she was, came to her, a maid's, defense. It was heartrending. Especially since she understood she might only get in-between the handsome young man and the kind angel. But still, the orders of her princess should not be spoken twice. So she stepped forward.

"Good day to you both, Liliana-himesama, Yamamoto Eichirou-sama."

A curtsy as per the norm and a bow. Lifting her head, she watched as the Apostle of Ehito's eyes widened slightly and stared intensely into her own. Her heart started beating like a drum as the intensity nearly silenced her once again.

'No! Not again! Remember! Focus! Think of brother and mother. You need this job to provide for brother and mother.'

Before she let that thought devolve into another shameful imagination, she spoke clearly and refined as a maid of the palace should.

"My name is Iselda and I shall be Yamamoto-sama's personal maid to assist you in the days to come."

Needless to say, Yamamoto Eichirou-sama's gaze intensified even more so. And it threatened to make steam escape her ears once again.

Ah, why must a maiden's heart be so confusing and fragile, she thought.

However, it would have been confusing to anyone had they heard Yamamoto Eichirou-sama's line of though in this exact moment.

* * *

'I KNEW IT!'

_No, calm down. We might be overthinking this!_

'I FUCKING KNEW IT!'

_Wait, calm down. Calm the fuck down before we actually make a mistake!_

'FUCK YOU, ISHTAR! YOU SHIFTY-EYED FUCK!'

_Please just calm down! Breathe! Just fucking breathe! Goddamn! If you lose it, they might think it_ _suspicious!_

'IF SHE'S HERE TO SPY ON US, THEN IT JUST PROVES IT! ISHTAR'S ON TO US!'

_She IS NOT here to SPY on us! Okay?! Calm down. Just calm the fuck down! Unless we want to give away_ _anything!_

'WAIT, WHAT CAN WE CONSIDER AS A _DEAD GIVEAWAY_?'

_Well, obviously, the princess' feelings—!_

!

!

!

_OH MY GOD, WE'RE GONNA DIE!_

'FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!'

* * *

**_Some of you probably gonna ask 'Why the hell is this updated faster than the other fics you got?'_**

**_My answer is "This is easier to write. So to speak."_**

**_I mean, don't really love the web novel and stuff nor do I obsess over it. It's just having a type of self-insert OC is actually easier to do in an isekai setting than others. Think_**

**_"If I have never lived in this world before, then I know next to nothing on norms, the daily things, and whatnot. And therefore, I can get mixed up as I go along for the ride"_**

**_as opposed to_**

**_"I've lived in this world all my life. I know how shit happens around here. Ain't nothing gonna surprise me—wait why am I even thinking this? I know it enough that I don't have to spell it out for myself. Stupid"._**

**_Add to the fact that I wanna broach some parts of the story before the anime takes off. But that's probably a pipe dream as I have two chapters and not even done with their second day in Tortus, DAMN YOU EHITO!_**

**_Anyways, thanks for the 14 Favs and 19 Followers. You guys/maybe gals, not sure, let's go with peeps, are the worst for choosing someone as unreliable as me. This may have updated exactly a week since the first, even though I said I wouldn't update regularly, but you peeps somehow powered my dry will to continue this BS. _**

**_Anyways, have fun with this abnormally regular update. Enjoy it while it lasts as after the fall, I'm gonna bring this fic on a trip to uncharted waters._**

**_And before you peeps ask, I will NOT give pairings. I've seen what that does to the mind. It's unhealthy to set it in stone._**


	3. Chapter 3

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 3: Similar Day, Different Problems**

* * *

This day sucked as well.

Specifically for the one boy in the class that walked alone in the hallway to the library. Well, he wasn't alone per se. One of Meld's men was leading the way through the labyrinth of a palace.

"We'll be there soon, Nagumo-sama." The man spoke up. "I ask for your patience."

"No, please," Nagumo shyly replied back. "Sorry to have bothered you with guiding me there."

"Your words honor me."

The man spoke politely, but his eyes and expression as he looked towards Nagumo were those of slight disappointment. It was to be expected. He, Nagumo Hajime, a supposed Apostle of Ehito, was nothing more than a weak Synergist with stats as average as a resident of the world they were supposed to be saving.

He had such high hopes that maybe now, he could change his life around. Maybe now, he could prove he wasn't just a loser as Hiyama and the rest of the Bastard Four, his words, not anyone else's, made him out to be. But nope. Even in another world, he had such abysmal luck. And everyone was going to think of him as a laughingstock for the rest of their time here.

He thought that even if he rolled a fail and got a non-combat class, he could have at least supported those who needed—, well, _wanted_ his help. But even that was a pipe dream at best.

Had he known it would all end in disappointment, maybe he should have followed after Yamamoto in the first place. Maybe it would be better to actually put in some effort to getting back home than playing a dangerous game like a war with Devils and monsters.

No. There was still a chance. He could train himself, to grow better. Maybe it was just the base stats, but if he was able to level up and grow the stats, then maybe he could still turn things around. How hard could it be? The training wasn't so bad, he only collapsed after an hour.

.

.

.

Okay, maybe that wasn't the best example, but still, it was just the first day.

He may have been sloppy with physical training, but there was another way to get stronger. After all, it was a fantasy world with MAGIC. If he couldn't assist the team with frontline jobs, he could at least support them from the back using his magic and knowledge. Then maybe he could prove that immersing himself in a life of games wasn't such a useless thing after all.

There were a lot of 'maybe's in his thoughts but one can't be sure of anything yet. The future wasn't set in stone.

"Excuse me."

"What is it, Nagumo-sama?"

Nagumo decided to break some small talk. The silence had been killing him since he left the training hall.

"Why is the library located so far away from the training grounds?"

"The library is located on the other side of the palace for safety reasons."

"Safety?" Nagumo raised an eyebrow at the answer. "Is there anything that might endanger people in the library?"

"Quite the contrary, really. You see, the training grounds are not only used for training the body. We do other things there as well."

BOOM

A large sound and a bit of an aftershock came from where they had previously been.

"Like magic, is it?" Nagumo answered the obvious.

"Yes." The knight nodded in response anyway. "Heiligh Kingdom prides itself on having a rich history and as we have the Holy Church's Temple as well as God's Mountain to thank for that, the Great Library is still one of the most important assets the world has to thank the Kingdom for."

Well, knowledge centers _were_ a beacon for scholars and philosophers in the past history of Earth. It wouldn't be strange for a fantasy world in the Medieval era to have the same. Despite the magic, humans thrive when knowledge was gathered and shared.

But they could also be controlled by such a concentration through the use of censorship and propaganda.

'… You don't trust them, so do I…'

Yamamoto spoke, or rather whispered, to him as he left for the library with the princess dragging him out. Nagumo felt his hand grip on his opposite arm and thought deeply as he spoke.

He wasn't alone to suspect Ishtar. There was something off about the pope. Especially when he looked so mad at Yamamoto during their discussion after they were summoned. Having sat next to Yamamoto in the table, Nagumo had a clear view of the face the pope was trying to avoid showing to Amanogawa.

Complete and utter humiliation, as well as frustration for a child getting in his way. It might've been the pope's age, but he completely ignored Nagumo's existence during that argument. And even when Yamamoto spoke about his own god, Anima was it called, the pope kept a completely unamused expression.

Whether Yamamoto was actually preaching or not, the pope had stared at the transfer student carefully. Watching, probing for a chink in the armor.

The moment Yamamoto said he would surpass Ehito and find a way home on his own, Nagumo almost thought he'd lost it, until he saw the look on Pope Ishtar Lombard's face. It was only for a moment. But the mention of surpassing his god was the least straw and the old man looked as if he was considering murder.

Then, the moment passed.

And he relented to Yamamoto's wishes. Without a fight, or an argument. Instead, he asked Yamamoto about who Anima really was. The passive look of Ishtar's face never left even after they met the Royal Family. Whatever the old man was planning, it wasn't good. Not for Yamamoto, or anyone in the class.

"That's a scary look to be making."

"Uwah?!" "Nagumo-sama?!"

At the sudden voice, Nagumo nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn't, thankfully, but the knight guiding him immediately had a hand to his sword, ready to draw if necessary.

It wasn't though, as Enou Kousuke just held his hands up, non-threateningly with a forgetfully neutral expression.

"Endou Kousuke, one of the Apostles. I'm on my way to deliver a Status Plate to one of our absent members, Yamamoto Eichirou. He said he was in the library." Endou introduced himself and his purpose so casually even though he nearly startled a fully armed knight into drawing his weapon. "Oh, and you probably didn't notice me because of my Presence Concealment as an Assassin."

Nagumo heard an audible 'tsk' at the mention of his skill. But didn't know where it came from. He was so unaware of the source of the sound that he started glancing about. Endou noticed and added a new item to the list of 'Reasons Why Presence Concealment is Shit'.

"I apologize for taking you as a threat, Endou-sama," the knight apologized and immediately withdrew that hand about to draw the sword. "But please refrain from using your skills within the palace. It would cause unnecessary worry among the guards."

"My bad. I've no control over _that_ skill yet. I apologize for startling you."

Nagumo could feel the irritation in Endou's voice as he mentioned the skill. But as he didn't know Endou all that well, he decided to keep quiet. Maybe the guy didn't really like being labeled as an Assassin. Those were stereotyped as bounty hunters or murderers for hire in most games and films. Some even go so far as to categorize them as mobs in-game.

Personally, Nagumo thought they were cool. Like ninjas.

The knight accepted Endou's apology, and soon there were now three on the way to the library. It was silent. Toooo silent. So silent, a pin could've dropped and you would hear it impact the floor. It was at this point that Nagumo asked himself why he was so awkward at starting conversations.

For one, he knew Endou. Not enough to call a friend. But enough to know he was… there. Or not! Now that he looked around, Nagumo seemed to have lost sight of him. How strong was his Presence Concealment in the first place? God, that was so cool—.

"It's not cool, y'know." "Uwaaah!"

Nagumo jumped once again at the sudden realization that Endou was suddenly back at his side. The knight on the other hand, paused to look back but resumed his lead after he checked and Endou just sighed in response.

"What's… not cool?" Nagumo's question sputtered to a slow when he caught Endou's annoyed glare. It wasn't annoyance that he asked. More annoyance that he wasn't even noticed in the first place.

"Being invisible is such a pain." Endou sighed again and followed after their knightly guide. Nagumo was slow but caught up as fast as he could. "One second, I'm part of the conversation, the next, I'm not even there."

Nagumo really thought it was a useful skill, though.

"You just thought it was useful, didn't you?" Before Nagumo could reply, Endou answered the unvoiced question. "It's obvious on your face, y'know? And after all _that_ happened in the training grounds, I doubt you want to be seen right now at all."

Something caught in Nagumo's throat. Endou hit the nail on the head. Well, he did run towards the library as an excuse to get away from Hiyama's teasing. Had he a skill like Endou's, he probably wouldn't have to run all the time.

"Well, you've caught me," he decided to play it off for laughs. No use denying it when Endou was quite literally a spy in this world. He would have probably learned how to analyze people, judging by how he read Nagumo like a book. "Ah, man. I really wish I could've gotten an amazing class. Now I just feel bad to let you guys do all the fighting. Welp, no helping it. Maybe I can find something in the library to give me a boost."

"…"

For a moment there, he thought Endou had actually disappeared again. But a quick glance to the guy and he saw him staring back. Endou's eyes were actually the widest Nagumo had ever seen them.

"You still plan on fighting?" The Invisible Assassin asked frankly. "Knowing full well just how dangerous the situation you're in?"

Nagumo considered the question for a moment. If it was asked with actual concern, then he appreciated it. It was like Shirasaki-san's but without the whole 'hated by the entire student body' condition that followed. No one else had done at least this much for him until now. Rather than ask if it was concern, though, he'll just keep it to himself. At least Nagumo could dream that there were people out there that didn't completely hate his guts.

Now about Endou's question, there was only one answer to it.

"Yeah, I'm going to fight in my own way."

"Why?" Endou stopped in his tracks. Probably, this was the first time he heard something so incredulous that he just had to stand and wait for a reply. Even their knightly guide stood and waited for an answer. "Why would you go so far? Even though you're severely disadvantaged?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nagumo just smiled and answered as if it was the norm to do so. "Instead of waiting for someone to save me, shouldn't I do something to help everyone else instead?"

Nagumo resumed his walk. The knight, having heard the answer, and probably satisfied with it judging by the small grin he had on, continued down the hall ahead of them. Endou, meanwhile, stood there and contemplated.

Nagumo wouldn't know until much, much later. But it was at this moment that another person found something to respect in the boy that was judged as the 'weakest link'.

Soon, they had arrived at the library. The knight immediately left as soon as he gave a nod to the guards and directed Nagumo towards the entrance. The moment he opened the large doors, his jaw hit the floor.

Tomes upon tomes of history, magic and many other subjects filled the large shelves. It was a huge, no, Gigantic, no, MASSIVE library! The walls, the next floor above, the shelves lined up neatly and organized. So many books and scrolls surrounded them.

If Nagumo had turned into a book otaku before the Summoning, he might've lost all sense of sanity now.

Even Endou had been dumbed to silence. The place was just _that_ impressive. The floor was polished squeaky clean and could roughly reflect their appearances. The décor of the library itself was exquisite. By a glance, one could tell no expense was spared in the making of this grand knowledge center. It was what all the in-game libraries were designed to emulate, a place of class and sophistication, but instead of politics and cunning, the emphasis was on wisdom and knowledge.

"Iselda-san, could you please put this book next to the second pile."

"Understood."

"This be one of the books you're looking for, Apostle-sama."

"Oh? Another one? This much is plenty now. Thank you for all your help, Madam Caretaker. I really couldn't have found this many on these subjects without your help."

"Your words honor me, milord."

"Ahaha, please, don't be so formal. I'm simply another student of knowledge. As a caretaker of this amazing Library, I must express my gratitude to you for assisting me so much already."

Three voices could be heard from beyond the shelves. Looking forward, Nagumo noticed the large tables separated by a central staircase leading up. Near the staircase, at the end of one of the tables, a large stack of books and old tomes hid the speakers from view. That is, until one of them, one who was dressed as a template librarian complete with glasses, appeared from behind the stack.

"Ara, it seems more of your fellow Apostles have come to the Library," the beautiful lady stepped forward and addressed the newcomers with a gracious bow. "Good day to you, Apostles-sama. I'm the caretaker of the Great Library. How may I be of service to you today?"

"Uh, eh, uhm…" Nagumo was stunned at suddenly being addressed by such an attractive woman. He couldn't think straight immediately. "Erm, I'm here… to look for books on classes… specifically non-combat ones."

The woman looked Nagumo up and down once then bowed in response. The polite smile was there, but the look she gave was somewhat curious. Probably as it was strange to her why a Hero companion would be curious about something almost unrelated to fighting Devils.

"Understood. And how about you, Apostle-sama?" Looking over to the other person before her, the librarian asked.

For once, Endou was surprised at being noticed. But maybe it was due to being so dumbstruck or that he was brushing his hands on some really expensive-looking books that she noticed him in the first place.

"Ahem. I'm looking for one of our fellow Apostle." He spared a glance at the heap of books and could already guess who was behind it. "Yamamoto Eichirou, to be precise."

"Oh? Is that Kousuke-kun and Nagumo-kun?" The librarian didn't even have to speak as Eichirou's voice suddenly spoke from behind the books. "Please, come join me."

"Right this way, Apostles-sama." The caretaker bowed and stepped to the side to allow them passage. And as Nagumo walked past, she added quickly added. "I shall bring a few samples of the topic you requested."

Nagumo bowed in gratitude but made a nervous smile as well. Being in such close proximity with gorgeous women made him nervous. A bad influence of Shirasaki's habit or something else, he wasn't sure.

Just as expected, the moment they got around the mountain of hardback volumes, they saw Yamamoto Eichirou, still well-dressed but now accompanied by a young maid who also bowed to them in respect. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Eichirou placed down the book he was currently reading. It looked like a book. However, instead of just lines running across in a uniform fashion, the lines of text were running around drawings and depictions of humans and cities.

"Yo, how was training?" Eichirou asked them both casually. "Looking exhausted. Were you made to run marathons or something?"

"Yeah, something like that." Surprising Nagumo, Endou was the first to speak. "And? What have you been doing? Hiding in the library to escape a workout?"

"Eheheh," scratching the back of his head, Eichirou laughed apologetically. "I've actually been studying on Tortus' history. There's a lot of ground to cover so that I can understand this world. I've been looking over their early history and such."

Showing them the book he was currently reading, they realized it was about ancient cities that came before, during the age of gods.

"Apparently, this Heiligh Kingdom is a living monument, built by one of Ehito's progeny. One named Sharam Vaan"

Eichirou suddenly broke out into exposition, explaining all he had covered since this morning. Ehito and his family's supposed origins, the old terror of magic beasts and monsters, the building of the first human cities, the rise of humans and devils, and the fall of demi-humans. The two were amazed at the fact that he had read up so much in such a short span of time.

"That's… quite a lot…" Nagumo could only say.

"Ah, not quite. This was just the history books." Shutting the book in his hands, Eichirou laid it to rest atop a separate stack next to him. It was his height while sitting. The books in the stack numbered in the teens. "I'm done learning about the human history. But I've barely scratched the surface of all this library has to offer."

Gesturing over to another pile of books in front of him, Endou picked one up to read the runic titles.

"'History of Magic: Ehito's Blessing Upon Man'," the Language Comprehension skill worked just as well on written language as it did with spoken words. "You're going to dive into the subject of magic already?"

"I did say I was done with the _human_ history." Neither of the two missed the emphasis on the word 'human'. The maid that stood in attention as well as the librarian paid no heed. "And I did make a promise. I find studying history fun and all but having already checked each and every book on history, I tried avoiding tomes with similar contents and just read the ones recommended by the kind librarian."

Arriving as if on cue, the librarian handed Nagumo three tomes with rough inscriptions. Looking over the top one, it read 'The Study on Classes: Volume 2, Non-Combat'.

"Your words flatter me, Apostle-sama." The maid bowed in respect towards Yamamoto, which the other two boys found extremely weird. Neither have seen such actions from beautiful women to younger men unless they worked in the service industry. Looking back to Nagumo, the librarian quickly added before leaving. "If that is all, I shall leave you to your study. Please remember to lower your voices and, if you need me, I shall be waiting at my desk."

"Thank you again, Madam Caretaker." Eichirou dismissed her and she politely bowed in his direction again. The way Eichirou carried himself was so graceful, Nagumo and Endou both forgot he was their classmate. Next, he spoke to the stalwart maid standing behind him. "Iselda-san, you can take your break as well."

"Eh? Uhm, er… Yamamoto-sama, you will not need my help?"

"Just for now," he waived to the other tomes as well as the two boys. "I have a few books to go over before we start looking for more and I do have to talk to my fellow Apostles about something. So there's nothing I need you to do for now."

"But… I'm under orders by Liliana-himesama—?!" Raising a palm before her, Eichirou politely silenced the girl.

"If Lady Liliana asks, I will explain myself. You haven't had your lunch yet, right? It wouldn't be healthy for you to have to wait on me. So please, take your rest."

Since the maid was on the opposite side and forced Yamamoto to turn away, neither of the two boys noticed the wink he sent the girl. They did see, however, the girl's face as it suddenly glowed a slight shade of pink then back to normal.

"Very well, then. But before that, should I bring you all tea, Yamamoto-sama?"

"Bring my friends some. I shall have some later instead." Without skipping a beat, he nonchalantly added. "It would be rude to break my promise with Lady Liliana by having mine ahead of time."

"… Understood, Yamamoto-sama."

With a bow, the maid immediately left to do her task. Left with only their classmate, the two awkwardly stood there, unable to say anything about the exchange. Unlike the rest of the boys of the class, excluding Amanogawa, Yamamoto spoke normally and didn't stutter when talking to the maids. Like he was used to it.

"Well don't just stand there," Eichirou broke their silence and gestured to the nearby seats while he carefully pushed a few books away to make some space. "Sit down and tell me about your day. I'm guessing you have a few questions about mine already."

He made a sad smile as he said this, denoting that it just wasn't them that were having a rough day. They took their seats, Kousuke next to him and Nagumo across.

"So," the well-dressed lad gestured with open hands to the other two. "Who wants to start first?"

* * *

'A few' was not the right term. They had loads of questions about my day, and yesterday to an extent. Well, more from Kousuke than Nagumo. Despite the guy's ultra-thin presence, he was quite at ease with interaction. I would say he was actually eager to have someone to talk to.

He asked more about why I was going to meet up with the princess. I just said we both had coinciding break times. Of course, he didn't buy it. He may be assuming something more, but I wasn't going to deny or accept it. Better to be vague than pick one. If anyone else caught wind that I was meeting with the young Lady, they would assume whatever was more amusing. Give them a specific answer and they might think the extreme. In this case, I was either wooing the girl, a Royal, trying to appease the King or she was latching onto me, an Apostle, to get in the Church's good graces.

Neither were okay at all, but as long as I don't have my answer leaning too much to one side, I was in the clear. Both with the class AND the Church. So I fed Kousuke's curiosity with as much ambiguity as I could. Well, he won't pry much, at least for now.

Nagumo, on the other hand was quite polite but refrained from asking much. While Kousuke was battering me with questions like if I was rich and had maids serving me growing up, Nagumo asked a simpler, more dangerous question.

"Hey, Yamamoto-kun, what did you mean when you said, 'by the guidance of Anima'?"

I glanced at the librarian who was too busy writing documents about a few ten meters away. Then to Iselda, who I still could not put off my suspicion for, making tea at the other corner. When neither seemed to be within earshot, I turned to look at Nagumo straight in the eyes.

Judging by how intense his gaze was, I could tell he knew at least some part of my lie. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot more of the class thought I was lying. The deity 'named' Anima never existed to begin with.

Well, maybe I could trust these two. At least, Endou was invisible to begin with and with a little observation from his perspective, he may find my points actually possible. Nagumo had his suspicions but in the off chance he does something that might ruin me, the impact would hurt less. I may be an outcast now, be he was ostracized beyond belief.

A crude way to look at friends but in this dangerous world, I need to do what I must.

"Well, Nagumo-kun. I meant what I meant." Starting off unclear was confusing, yes. But after making sure my words weren't heard by the other two non-Earthlings, in the library, I began to explain. "If there is a way home, then I pray to _whatever god_ is out there to get us back in one piece." Excluding the one who kidnapped us in the first place. "Having travelled the world for most of my life, I don't really have a religion I center myself with. As our world has so many belief systems, and to make my point with Ishtar clear that _my god_, if I really had any, would be sorely pissed at Ehito's actions, I decided to play a little game with him."

Endou's brow furrowed slightly at the words, but I made an expression that conveyed I would explain further.

"If that's the case, then fine." Nagumo's expression didn't change. He had already understood I was bluffing, and, to some extent, why. "Just… did you have to make such a big deal out of it yesterday? You essentially made a name for yourself as Ishtar-san and the Church of Saints' obstacle."

"Yes, I did," oh boy, if there was any other way, I would have taken it. "But judging by the circumstances of both worlds, I can't just play it safe anymore."

"Both worlds?"

"Look at where we are." I dramatically waved my hand to gesture around me. "It's a world with magic able to summon us. If there were such paranormal abilities of magic, it could serve as proof that such paranormal beings as a god _exist_." I leaned in closer to make extra sure we weren't heard. "Do you honestly think such a religion wouldn't rely on their own god to help? Why risk taking from another god's domain?"

"But weren't _we_ the solutions to their problem?" Kousuke asked. Even he was curious enough. "They were desperate, right?"

"Yes, yes we are the solution." I immediately agreed to his questions. "And yes, they are desperate. But the excuse of 'desperate times calling for desperate measures' has a limit as well."

"A limit?" I nodded to his quiet words.

"If they wanted to save their world, they, or at least their god, would have requested help if he couldn't do it on his own. The keyword 'asking' was never brought up to us. Instead, we were just brought into this world. And when we demanded an explanation, what did Ishtar tell us yesterday?"

It was Nagumo who replied in turn.

"'We prayed to Ehito-sama, and you were the "salvation" he sent.'"

"Exactly." I looked over one of the history book's cover that I had put aside. It had the benevolent image of an androgynous being with beautiful features but no warmth in his eyes. "Ehito was the one to bring us here. Not by our choice because we were never given one."

"But," Kousuke spoke up, albeit quietly. "Wouldn't it have been possible that he was given permission by a god in our world?"

"Nah, Kousuke-kun," I responded immediately while wearing a cynical grin. "How many kinds of deities do you think manage our world today? And how many of them do you believe actually exist?"

He didn't speak and neither did Nagumo. Mom was right in saying that religion wasn't really much in Japan. Unlike the schools I attended in India, the Philippines, France, or the Middle East, Japanese high schools were only given lectures on ethics.

"Even if you say that _there is a god_ in our world, judging by the state it's currently in, would they actually give a damn if about thirty non-believers just suddenly disappeared?" In a world with 7.7 billion people, the disappearance of a mere 30 was negligible. "Personally, I think not. About three hundred thousand people born each day and about half die. You still have over a hundred thousand left. In any case, the numbers say we don't matter much to any god that has to manage all those people."

Endou looked a bit downcast at my words. Nagumo just took it in stride. Maybe he had already come to terms that his life was just a tiny decimal when compared to others. Quite a depressing outlook in life, but it's because I had my siblings that I could forget all that. Unconsciously, my hand touched my coat's left chest. The feeling of a photo was slight, but it was there.

"Enough of the depressing numbers talk, there's one thing I did find out from my exchange with Ishtar yesterday. Something I'm absolutely sure about now." Nagumo looked at me in the eyes while Kousuke just sat in silence. "He doesn't know about the deity status in our world and, therefore, is doubting whether harming any one of us will not bring divine retribution."

"You mean," Kousuke was about to say it aloud. Keeping a finger to my mouth and an eye on the librarian saved me explaining why he should stay silent. He complied and spoke in whisper. "You mean he won't take action against us?"

"Not for now, no. But judging by his reaction yesterday, he may try poking some holes in my bluff." I turned my glance quickly to Iselda, who was approaching carefully, tray in hand. "Or maybe he's doing so now by sending spies in the palace to observe me."

Nagumo noticed my gaze, but Endou could only guess from my expression who I was looking at. It wouldn't take a genius to know I was referring to the maid. Both stayed quiet, but I guess it was time to change the subject. It wouldn't make a very good ruse to have to be so damn quiet for too long.

"Well, that's enough of that." I suddenly spoke with a slightly louder volume. "It would be embarrassing if I had to explain why I cried my eyes out before Lady Liliana. We should change the topic. How was the training by the way, Kousuke?"

Although the librarian glanced in our direction, she only took it as me trying to change the topic out of embarrassment. Well, it _was _embarrassing to begin with. I hope she didn't take it badly. I should apologize and explain during tea.

"Well… the training, uh," Speaking of embarrassing, Endou stuttered slightly at my sudden change of character. Gone was the broody-voiced schemer, out came the enthusiastic tourist that embarrassed himself before the princess. God, I need to remember some self-control. "Training went well. We had to run a few drills, but all in all, a good time—! Oh right. I forgot. Meld-san asked me to pass along something."

"Oh? And what might this Meld want to give me?" Do I even _know_ a Meld? I've only been here less than a day. To answer me, Nagumo spoke up.

"Meld Loggins-san. He's the Knight Commander responsible for our training. He's a little carefree, but everyone respects him."

So there were people that even Nagumo praised. He must be an interesting one then. I hope he's Ehito-free. Wouldn't want another fanatic treating me like an angel or a pope looking at me with suspicion. I guess I'll meet him later if he's such an important man.

"Here you go, Eichirou-kun." Kousuke handed me a reflective plate. It looked like metal but didn't feel like it. Smooth except for some engravings in a corner. "It's a Status Plate. Meld-san was giving them to us this morning. But looks like someone forgot to tell him that you weren't joining us."

"Hmm," I studied the plate in my hands, but I thought about the dubious implication those words have. "Maybe it just _slipped their minds_ to pass me one. I did make the decision to visit the library just this morning."

Both of the guys noticed my words and knew what I meant. Kousuke then explained to me what the plate was for and how to activate and use it. Seeing as how pricking my finger now is a bit impossible without a knife or a needle, I put the 'artifact', as it was apparently called, away in my coat's other inner pocket. I'll have to check what I've been given later then.

"Oh, speaking of which, Yamamoto-kun—"

"Nagumo, you must be tired of saying my surname so many times." I grinned warmly. No need to be so formal when I'm practically going to talk to him every now and then. Might as well keep it friendly. "Just call me Eichirou."

"Ah, call me Kousuke too."

Oh? Weren't they on friendly terms before? Must have been the bullying keeping him away. I wonder what changed his mind to approach Nagumo now.

"Then, Eichirou, Kousuke, call me Hajime."

He spoke my name timidly while nodding to Endou as well.

Seriously, man? Are you such a precious child that you've never gotten close to someone to call them by their given name before? My god, if you were at least three years younger, I'd call you adorable.

Anyway, he straightened himself up and asked.

"Where exactly did you hear about the Great Library from?"

"Oh, that? Funny you should ask." Such a convenient question. Good thing the answer's here right now.

"Yamamoto-sama, I brought your friends tea." Laying out the tray and passing the two a cup atop a plate each, the young maid bowed with respect to my fellow Apostles.

"Hajime-kun, Kousuke-kun," I waved to the maid. "This is Iselda-san. She's the personal maid assigned to me by Lady Liliana-sama for the duration of my study here in the Library. As I'm but one person with only a pair of eyes and arms each, she's assisting me in finding what I need to open a gate to our world. Coincidentally, she was the one to inform me about this place when I awoke early today. Thanks again for that, Iselda"

Iselda, to credit her maid training, bowed once more at my introduction and thanks. Immediately after, she turns to me, curtsies and scurried away to take her break as I ordered her to. Now that I think about it, she was a bit red-faced. She must be exhausted for running around to retrieve the books I asked for. Also, she didn't have her lunch at all yet. Poor girl, having to live in a world without labor laws and the proper contract terms.

Eyeing the books she found for me, I took one and opened it. 'Spells and Prayer: A Record of Ehito-sama's Blessings'. Skimming through as the two tasted their tea, I noticed they were acting surprised and impressed. Must be good tea. Iselda's probably skilled as a maid. As expected, she was under the palace's employment after all.

Still, I should keep a wary eye. Out of all the maids that could have been assigned to me, it had to be the one from this morning. Maybe it was just luck, or maybe Ishtar already assigned her to keep watch. If it was the latter, damn he moved fast.

I should be very careful in how I proceed with Iselda around. No offense to the girl, but I can't run the risk of getting caught.

"…" "…"

Two pairs of eyes stared at me from above their teacups.

"Eichirou-kun… how should I say this…"

"You work fast…"

"Thank you, I guess?"

I looked towards the books next to me and then turn back to them. Well it's true that I read a few books already, but I haven't found much that you could call progress. Maybe this much reading is considered abnormal. I was already past the introduction of the book I currently held and it hasn't even been a minute.

Ara, even the librarian was giving me a knowing look. What do you know? Maybe my reading skill was impressive in both worlds.

Anyway, enough about my reading speed. This book had the basics of calling on magic. Might as well test it out while I was here. Fire was a big no. I just got here. I shouldn't be getting myself kicked out. Worst case, I get executed for it. Water and wind are the same for damages. Earth, maybe not. Although it says here that dust can be considered part of earth magic, I really shouldn't dirty the place. It would ruin my good relations with the nice librarian.

Moving my hand across the pages, I found a passage to light magic. I wonder…

I informed the two my intention to test out a spell. Asking the librarian if light magic would be fine, she assented almost immediately when I said I was only making a small light. Truly, she shows way too much respect for a teenager who was just being polite.

"Let's see here. This is attribute. Put in 'light'. This section is on power. Set to low. Range is just five centimeters off the paper." Following the instructions, I quickly drew the magic circle on a piece of parchment the librarian gave me along with an inkwell and a quill. "This goes here and that is blank. Done!"

Looking at the parchment, it had been filled to approximately twenty centimeters in diameter. Quite large for a simple spell. In the illustrations of the book, the light wouldn't even be much if put to the test and wouldn't last too long either. Quite inefficient, if I had to say, useless in anything that needed quick solutions.

"Amazing."

"So this is a magic circle. How very much like fantasy."

The two teens, amazed by the complexity of the drawing, stared in awe at my artwork. I say that since this piece of scrap wouldn't do much except attract dust if we were still on Earth.

"Well," I held the inked parchment with my left hand. "Here goes nothing."

I read the incantation written in the book and imagined a small light.

"Light up the path of your children. Guide their way through the darkness. Shine, as I command thee. Candlelight."

I felt uncomfortable with the words. It felt… weird. Weird that I needed to say them out loud. If my siblings were here, we could play pretend all day, but doing it in front of friends was slightly awkward. There was that weird.

And then there was the weird that felt… nostalgically creepy. Like that time we were at the temple. The words meant to be welcoming and kind, but empty with not even much warmth. Maybe it's due to magic coming from the shifty-eyed god Ehito in the first place. In that case, ugh. Feels like having to shower using the kidnapper's bathroom. Creepily wrong. Then again, it was similar to what I was doing. In a more, distant and shoddy way of explaining.

For a while, nothing happened. A few seconds later, the magic circle glowed lightly. Quickly after, it flickered slightly and a small fire lit up above the parchment, like a small torch of bluish flame. It looked like a willow-wisp, only it didn't burn or exude heat nor did it start burning the paper it floated above. After a while, the light died.

"Hm," I studied my hand than checked the passage in the book. "So that was light magic. Pretty anti-climactic, don't you think?"

""… … …"" The two stared at me strangely.

"What?" I asked.

"You were able to do magic… … …?" "Just by… reading a book?"

I stared back at them. Was it _that_ strange? The librarian was applauding me as if I had done a miracle though.

"Says here that image is key. That and an aptitude to said magic. Maybe I have an aptitude to light?"

I'm just guessing here, but maybe the magic thing was easier than I thought. Sure I had to draw it out but at least there was something I could do with this as it is. Maybe.

Kinda sucks I don't have a visible mana bar like Skywin though. It would help me in handling the whole minute details during the process. Engraving was a thing, so maybe stuff like enchantments existed. A positive. Those things usually take less out of a person in terms of resource. Maybe I could actually create a literal 'gate to another world'.

I was just musing though. I needed to take this thing carefully and seriously. Wouldn't want to blow my hands off while testing.

And yet, I couldn't shake off the eerie feeling of having to use something that didn't even exist on Earth.

Hm, maybe it was just my imagination. Or maybe someone other than the three people present was watching me. I glanced around to see no one other than us.

"What's up?" Endou asked in concern.

"I kinda felt weird." Thinking on it, the feeling's gone. Maybe it really was just my imagination playing tricks. Looking at the book's paragraph on magic usage, I found something interesting. "'Constant practice could help in expanding mana pool. Magic is also theorized to aid the body's physical growth.'"

Kousuke and Hajime then both happily explained to me what Meld told them about skills and stats and that magic could be eased through the former while it added growth to the latter. They talked excitedly. Daiki was the same when he introduced me to a new game his friends lent him. They probably feel just as excited about the topic as my younger brother did with the game. I guess checking the Status Plate will be my homework tonight.

"Ah, I forgot to ask. How were your stats when you registered plates?" Both fell silent. I sensed a drop of temperature. Particularly in Hajime's direction. Thinking fast, I tried to hand them an escape route. "You don't have to tell me if your embarrassed about it though."

"… Here's mine," Kousuke reluctantly gave me his plate. All the while, he was glancing at Nagumo. "Status Open."

The simple plate suddenly had writing on it. I see. So this is what an 'artifact' was. Neat.

I noticed the class. Kousuke was designated as an Assassin.

.

.

.

Eh? Really? What exactly decided he was _that_?! I tried asking him but then he said even Meld didn't know and couldn't explain it to them. Seriously?

And to think such a thing was rare and well-sought out for? I mean, I can see the appeal in having abilities that specialize in specific jobs. If Kousuke actually mastered his class, he'd probably make a better Assassin than any of the movies make them out to be.

But to actually be stuck in a profession not of your own choosing? The hell kind of god thought this shit was a good idea?!

WAIT! Focus. Breathe. Calm? Good.

We can overreact on the retardedness of this system later.

The stats were, surprisingly, displayed in a simple table. Even I could understand them just by looking. Well, with my limited game knowledge on these things, I guess Kousuke was fast. If Meld's explanation was anything to go by, Endou Kousuke also had the potential to become faster than any human in Tortus, bar a few exceptions from the class. I hadn't seen the guy run yet as the last P.E. we had was just plain basketball and Kousuke sat that one out. So I can't be too sure and I don't even understand how stats translate to the actual person's body. Even if we say that this world runs on the same engine as any modern tabletop RPG would, there were too many variables to include to be sure. I better test it out when I register my own.

When I saw his skills, however, oh boy. Ooooooooh, boy… Goddamn.

.

.

.

Gotta admit. Ehito's got a nasty sense of humor.

By the look Kousuke was giving the skills box, the one skill in particular, I knew he was seething without even asking. How should I go about this? I mean, I _am_ his friend, right? There should be something I can do to remedy this situation.

Ah, fuck it. Let's try.

"Cheer up, Kousuke-kun. At least you can now put what rarely exists to good—!"

"Better watch what you say, Yamamoto. I'm an Assassin now." Never have I been interrupted so harshly in my life while being threatened with the edge of a piece of parchment. "It would be a shame if you weren't able to talk."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"I see. You've made your point." I held my hands up in surrender as I eyed the papercutting death leave my throat. Coughing once, the entire atmosphere returned from the icy grave I almost dug myself. "Well, thanks for sharing. I'll uh… show you mine later… Once I've registered it."

"Alright then."

.

.

.

Holy fucking shit. I actually thought he was going to murder me. I guess it's true to never fuck with the quiet ones. Heh, go figure.

All this time, however, Nagumo just stared at the books the librarian handed him. He didn't move to open them. He didn't speak about anything either. Reading the books' titles, I could guess why. As far as I know, the contents of his plate were bothering him greatly. But they were also from _his_ plate. Not mine. And unless he shares them to me, it wasn't my problem.

So I didn't pry. Instead, I went back to reading a few more passages about magic while Kousuke chimed in every now and then to make small talk while I wait for my time to join Princess Liliana. Of course, his small talk included some questions about the Princess. But having to act the gentleman, I didn't say much and avoided the topic entirely while playing it safe.

Man, having friends like this really does loosen my nerves. Having been alone with Iselda and the librarian the entire time, I was seriously contemplating what they would do to me if one of them, specifically Iselda, was a spy. It was why I avoided her giving me tea. If I wasn't careful, it could have been laced with poison.

Maybe I shouldn't throw my friends under the bus like that by having them taste test for me earlier, but I highly doubt they would reduce the number of people that actually _volunteered_ to fight in their war. That being said, I do appreciate the talks we have. Better than Amanogawa anyway.

After a while, Hajime started reading his own books. He was quiet and intent on them that I decided to leave him be. This could be him taking the first step to facing his problem. If I really wanted to be a good friend, I should let him be. For now, at least.

I just really hope he opens up, someday. It's going to be hard, living in this hostile place with no one to call friend.

I just hope he thinks of me as one before he loses his mind.

Or maybe I would lose mine first.

Not that impossible really. Considering that I may have caused a misunderstanding with the princess with how I acted today, I really could be in trouble with the King. Even worse, the pope could use this as a means to get rid of me. A scandalous affair of some commoner seducing the young royal would be more than enough to eliminate any chances of me getting out of this hell hole.

I should fix that. Pronto. As in, immediately!

But, of course, I shouldn't be a prick about it. With nothing to do until the Princess' due teatime, I resumed my reading of the magic tomes. If I was to succeed, I should do what I can when I can rather than worry incessantly about the future.

And besides, magic was kind of fun, just that the creepy feeling I got when using it never left me until I took my leave from the Library.

* * *

In a corner, behind one of the many large shelves, a pair of eyes watched the dashing young man perform small spells. From simple light magic to basic barrier magic, the young man succeeded every first attempt without breaking a sweat.

'If he was an Apostle, then surely he should see the greatness and majesty of Ehito-sama's plan to fight the devils.' The owner of the eyes gripped tightly on the shelf, threatening to scar the smooth wooden surface. 'Such talent in using Ehito-sama's blessing. But why is it that he wastes his time reading instead of training?'

No one could answer the stalker's question. And every time he tested another spell, the gaze grew stronger, more envious.

Not everyone could use Ehito's blessing of magic. The cursed demi-humans couldn't and the devils and monsters all stole the power from Ehito-sama himself long ago. Only the human race who have been sanctioned by Ehito should be able to wield it in its greatness and even rarer more talented humans were given the right to skillfully wield the elements to their own will.

'So why is it that someone that refuses to join the Hero is able to utilize magic far more efficiently than any of the court mages and Church priests?'

Silently, fingernails left marks on the wooden surface of the shelf. The cause of said marks would never be found. As the Apostle, Yamamoto Eichirou, disappeared from the library to have tea with the First Princess, so did too the spy of the church take their leave.

'I must report this to Lombard-sama.' The eyes of the stalker burned with zealous pride, and a hint of envy. 'If this Apostle succeeds in his mission, they might rise up against Ehito-sama and take over the Kingdom.'

The spy had been observing the Apostles since their arrival. From observation alone, they were just children. Some were dignified, easily manipulated, children. Others were a rabble of troublemakers. Many were as clueless and scared as a demi-human slave child. But there was this one that carried fiery denial in his eyes. One who had no fear in rejecting an honor to serve Ehito. On who would choose to stand up to Ehito if he had to.

'Such insolence. Such _arrogance_!' The spy internally seethed, keeping a façade as they traversed the palace's halls. 'Such a person should be removed.'

'_In the name of Ehito, Yamamoto Eichirou must be purged._'

* * *

It was finally time!

The excited mind of a curious young lady ran free as she elegantly walked towards her personal study. Her personal maid opened the door for her, and as soon as she saw the messed-up paperwork on her desk, she halted in her steps.

'Not good,' Princess Liliana thought. 'Such a clutter is unbefitting of a lady. It would be embarrassing to have to show this to Yamamoto-sama.'

Immediately, she ordered her aide and a few others to tidy up the place while she organized the disheveled desk.

'Truly, I mustn't embarrass myself in front of such a noble man. Despite being a commoner, he shows such wisdom in advising against just having the Hero and his companions fight alone. Convincing outo-sama that opening a bridge between our worlds to ask for more capable help, and to even volunteer pioneering such an impossible endeavor? His skill with negotiations and noble goals make him an ideal Hero. Ah, if only he really was, then we wouldn't have to ask them to lay down their lives for a world not their own.'

She continued her thoughts as she worked, unknown to her that for every second she spent thinking of his dashing figure, her progress began to slow.

'I wonder why he would even suggest the idea to connect our worlds. Is it because he has someone worried for his absence back home? His family, no doubt. If so, we have committed an immoral crime to that person. If only we weren't so desperate. I pray Yamamoto-sama achieves this undertaking. Otou-sama may have been slightly surprised that Yamamoto-sama said he would achieve what Ehito-sama could not, but that was why they were summoned in the first place, was it not? Astonishingly, he apologized before outo-sama, saying that he didn't wish to offend a believer of Ehito-sama. It was quite… strange. Yamamoto-sama was one of the summoned Apostle of Ehito-sama. But he held himself in such a humble regard.'

Liliana was now seated with a few stacks of papers left to keep. The other maids had been dismissed by her own. Now, only two remained in the Princess' study. However, only one was actually done with her job. The other was simply daydreaming.

'No, stop thinking such disrespectful things.' She shook her head. 'He may be humble, but he is still an Apostle, someone we should revere. A strong person such as he will accomplish what he has set out to do. I must show him proper respect as he has shown Otou-sama and myself. I must do all I can to support him as he has come to support us in our time of need.'

But the young girl immediately realized something. Other than being a princess, that was all she was. She had nothing to her name other than her studious and hardworking nature. With the title as first princess, she wasn't even an heir to the throne. That left the evident question.

'But then what can I do to assist such a man?'

Her thoughts quickly flew to that moment this morning, one where she was close enough to the young man to hear his breathing, to feel his warmth and heart beating. She quickly shook her head, viciously this time while she glowed red.

'NO! Forget that. Yamamoto-sama was probably just reminiscing something. Maybe he's just missing whoever he was separated from on the other side. Yes! That's probably it! It's definitely not something I should pry into, not at all!'

The paper stack she had been straightening was slightly ruffled. Picking up a few that were left on the table, she placed them in the open desk drawer and closed it. With no other papers left to remove, she sat down in her chair and let her mind wander.

'But… what else should I do? Maybe giving him some assistance in studying history? But from what the maid Iselda reported to the Head, Yamamoto-sama had actually completed that before his break. Should I assist in magic training? But I'm only good with barrier magic. Such a simple thing wouldn't be useful to someone trying to attempt god-tier magic.'

She felt defeated. This was something she couldn't solve with hard work alone. Disregarding that for a moment, she even felt guilty. She actually wanted to enjoy tea with him because he had such an abundant number of interesting stories. Quite a selfish thing for her to ask, especially since he should have been busy with his research.

She couldn't help it. They were such amazing stories.

Her father quite enjoyed the one about the pious girl, Joan of France, the young peasant child that fought for her king, country, and god. It was an example of zealous faith that made a martyr, a hero, and a symbol of one person to rally the masses to fight for what was right. It was a good one, but it wasn't her favorite. She rather enjoyed a previous one. The Knight and the Queen.

She had just asked if there were kings in his world as well. He simply replied that they used to exist until royal bloodlines thinned out and that all that's left were stories about them. When he said that, her father decided to ask what kinds of kings were they. Yamamoto chose to tell them stories related to them.

And the one that stuck to her was the romantic tryst between the Queen of Camelot and the Knight of Loyalty. Such a story wasn't new to Princess Liliana. There were books of the sort written to entertain the masses, albeit the richer and well-educated class. But it was _how_ Yamamoto Eichirou told the story that stuck with her. He didn't speak of their romance as wrong, nor did he say that it was right either. It was just that, simply love that couldn't be fully realized and yet couldn't be contained.

'Such a feeling is impossible under the teachings of Ehito. Once married, one had to devote their all to their partners. But Yamamoto-sama said something about marriage being an invention of human thought. That true love transcended the ideas of man.'

Such a thought was inconceivable to the Princess who grew up with the teachings of Ehito. However, the words spoken during Yamamoto's story sparked a small idea to the girl.

'If Yamamoto-sama felt lonely for being separated from his cherished one…'

One she would normally never think of on her own.

'Should I try… to comfort him…?'

Immediately, her slight red burned into a crimson blush. Her blonde hair, pale complexion and blue eyes all contrasted the red that even her aide thought she might've been sick. But her aide was smarter than that. After having observed her charge since this morning, the maid had already guessed what was on the Princess's mind.

"Ojou-sama, I know it's still early, but should I send someone to guide Yamamoto-sama?"

"Hue?! Eh?! Ah! What about Eichirou-sama? Is he here already?"

The maid sighed and smiled nostalgically. Having taken care of the princess since she was but a child, the maid had grown accustomed to how the Princess acted when she was flustered. This was the first time she had done so with such a red face, however.

'Well, she _is_ at that age.' The maid kept the thought to herself. "Not yet, ojou-sama. I was simply asking if I should send someone over to guide him here." 'As I can't very well leave you in such a state to go fetch him myself. Rumors would fly fast in the palace and cause extensive misunderstandings if I did.'

The maid didn't say what need not be said. She simply wished the young girl would grow some awareness of her surroundings as she was now acting like an open book with her emotions for all to see.

"Ara, please go do that. We wouldn't want Eichirou-sama to waste his time getting lost."

"Understood, ojou-sama."

The maid stepped outside to do her duty, leaving the Princess to collect her thoughts. And to remove the lecherous idea that she just formed.

'Ahem. A princess shouldn't have such thoughts. No matter how much I want to assist Eichirou-sama, there should be a limit to my arrogance.'

However, she couldn't help but wonder 'what if'.

'But if Eichirou-sama requests of me…'

Her finger caressed her lips as her mind raced back to that moment.

They had been so close. Close enough to feel each other's warmth, to hear each other breathe. Had Eichirou simply turned a bit to face her and she reciprocated, they would have… … …

"NO! STOP IT! I shouldn't be thinking such things, dear me. What am I doing? Such shameful… I…" With her hands covering her face of vermillion, she rapidly shook her head left and right, thinking that doing so would get rid of the 'shameful thoughts' she was having. Resting back down on her chair, she sank into it, unable to keep the normal composure she was taught a Princess should have at all times. "Ah, mou. What is wrong with me today?"

She didn't know why it was wrong. But she did know the reason who.

"Eichirou-sama…"

KNOCK KNOCK

"HUE!" she made a strange voice as she jumped in surprise. Remembering her composure, she quickly fixed herself up and asked. "Who… Ahem, I mean, yes? Who is it?"

"Liliana-sama, it is I, your personal aide. I knocked to inform you that Yamamoto-sama has just arrived. Should I let him in now?"

Princess Liliana went into panic mode in under a second and began her strict checklist.

Room cleaned? Check.

Desk cleaned? Check.

Tea and snacks prepared? Check.

My appearance?

She glanced at the mirror. Her makeup was slightly off, but with a quick touchup and a quick run of her fingers through her blonde hair, it was better than it was a few moments ago.

Check check check!

'At least, this way, I look presentable to Eichirou-sama… Not in that way! NOT IN THAT WAY!'

KNOCK KNOCK

"Liliana-sama?" her maid knocked again.

Unable to do anymore to fix up what she still considered a mess, her heart and mind to be precise, she conceded and stood up to welcome her… guest. Yes, that's what Eichirou was. A guest. Just a guest. Nothing more.

'Please stop thinking,' she internally wanted to scream. "Please send him in."

"Understood. Then, Eichirou-sama."

"Thank you for waiting, Princess Liliana-sama."

The door opened and in stepped the man of her daydream—AHEM, the Apostle she accepted an invite to have tea with.

"A good day to have you, Eichirou-sama." Why they were having tea at her venue instead of his, she didn't know. But seeing as she was so eager to accommodate him, more for his stories than taking an actual break, she just had to volunteer her study. "Please, take a seat."

The study was a simple thing. Liliana didn't really like to have things clutter up during her work and studies so she decided that having a simple desk and a few bookshelves were enough. But when her mother, the Queen, stepped in, she had thought it looked a bit drab and decided on bringing in _more_ _than a few_ things.

The tea set was one. The tea table was another. Suddenly she had a few couches to accommodate five guests and herself along with a few music instruments she knew how to use and several vases and simple paintings as décor. And a grandfather clock.

'It's to show your character without you having to introduce yourself,' or so her mother would say.

The musical instruments were at least worth something. She could play the piano or violin when she was not working. Granted, it was more her practicing than actually playing but still, they were worth more than the vases with flowers that died. Those were better off outside or planted in the garden. Or the portraits of no one in particular that took up a whole bookshelf's worth of space. The clock was big, but at least it was a clock.

A few of the things she wanted to remove, namely the vases and paintings, but her mother would add more whenever she had the maids get rid of them. In the end, they just stayed were they were for all her guests to see.

The Princess noticed that Eichirou-sama eyed the piano in particular for a while before he moved on to taking a seat.

"Thank you again, my Lady, for accepting my invitation to tea." Eichirou-sama waited for her to take a seat before taking his own across hers. He knew gentleman's decorum, she noted. "For a while, I thought I would start losing myself with how vast your Library is."

"Ahahah. Surely, you jest, Eichirou-sama." She giggled at the thought, although she didn't understand how she found it so easy to do so when it wasn't even much of a joke. "The Head Maid has informed me that you've already finished studying Tortus' basic history. Your personal maid, Iselda-san informed her during the break you gave her. I must say, that was kind of you to give the girl some time off."

"It's not something too grand, my Lady," Eichirou simply shook his head in response while giving her a small smile. It sent a jittery feeling into the pit of her stomach. "I'm just not used to having people wait on me like that."

'Well, he _did_ admit that he was a commoner in his world.' Liliana took a sip of tea from her cup. Her maid was laying one down for Eichirou as well which he gave a small nod in thanks for. 'Even still, he's too educated, knowing etiquette and more. Too much to be considered a mere commoner.'

The conversation took a turn on education. Liliana started checking whether Eichirou had actually accomplished his deed with Tortus' history books and he, in turn, surprised the princess with his understanding of the Kingdom's past, from its founding down to the current era's 'cold war', he puts it, with the devils.

"'Cold war', you say?" curious of the term, she tilted her head.

"It's a geopolitical term we use in my world that refers to conflict short of open warfare, my Lady." His face was slightly melancholic as he explained. "When countries or peoples silently agree that actual fighting is not good for either side but refuses to absolutely recognize peace between them."

"Has such a thing happened before? In your world, perhaps?"

"Yes, my Lady. And if not for political negotiations, cool-minded decision-making, and a small amount of luck, I would probably not be the one speaking to you about this, nor would any of my classmates be the Hero and his companions you think they would be."

Not a hint of a lie in his words. But not a hopeful tone either. In Liliana's lessons, she had been taught to notice such subtle nuances in a speaker's tone. What Eichirou spoke of could be considered a desperate moment in their world. She didn't understand how grave, but it was enough to send chills down this calm person's spine.

As she listened to his explanation of two nations vying for ideological supremacy, she noted how he thoroughly detailed political stances and each nation's circumstance as well as their leaders at the time. Such a refined understanding of politics and philosophy was surely beyond proof that he was above a commoner's level. He could very well rival a civil official of the country. Deciding to know why that is, she asked.

"You're pretty well versed in noble etiquette as well as a fair understanding of politics," she settled her cup in its saucer. "Even history lessons which took me months to get through, you were able to complete in a mere few hours. Could you tell me why that is, Eichirou-sama?"

"Huh?"

For once, he looked stumped. It was quite amusing for the young lady. One minute, he was speaking in a serious tone as he spoke of 'one wrong decision that could send the world into chaos'. Now, he looked confused, unable to answer a question about himself. It was… strange. At least, the princess thought he was so.

"Hmm. I can only answer two of those things with certainty, my Lady," he spoke with a small bow. "As for the latter, I could hazard a guess, if you would permit me."

"Ara, please explain."

"Etiquette and politics were something I caught on while travelling. You see, my father was quite an eccentric businessman. Ah, it would be the equivalent of a very influential merchant here in Tortus," he added, making sure she understood. "Because we would travel often, it became necessary for myself to understand how to act in front of important guests and respond accordingly. So my father hired a few tutors and specialists whenever we stayed in a certain place for a while."

"But I thought you said you were a commoner?" she asked, slightly surprised that a mere commoner would have the funds to travel the world AND get an education.

"Yes, I am, my Lady," he agrees with a knowing smile. "But in my world, meritocracy is the norm. We can no longer rely on just nobles to manage everything. So we turn to giving everyone, be they commoners or nobles, education. And when they reach a certain point, they can choose specializations, be it arts, politics, architecture, sciences and more."

The answer shocked the Princess. There had been a few countries that were run without monarchies but those were on a smaller scale. Eichirou saying that the majority of his world ran on a similar system would be like saying monsters were tamable by all humans and could be used as work animals or pets. It just seemed impossible.

Her questions on the education system provided on Earth continued. Having traveled his world extensively due to his father, Eichirou would probably know more about it than any of the other Apostles. Therefore, he was a goldmine of information. One that Liliana's every instinct as the First Princess of Heiligh Kingdom couldn't let go of.

Soon, Liliana forgot the original reason she wanted to have tea with Eichirou for, to listen to more of his stories, although, she would have to vehemently deny this. But in a way, he _was_ telling a story. One about how his world worked. It was fascinating for the young girl. A world of such grand possibilities and great achievements. One where any hardworker could be recognized by their efforts in a field of their choosing.

It made her feel small and insignificant. And yet, it ignited a passion in her heart. It felt like a challenge to her very being. One where she had to prove she could do just as well, if not better in Eichirou's world than her own.

It was… strange.

But she had to admit. She liked the feeling.

"Such a wonderful place."

She sighed. Unconsciously, she wished she could experience such a place, to explore and expand her horizons even further. Alas, she was a daughter of a king. And in her very core, she knew that leaving all that would be the same as treason to her country, to the people she _had_ to be responsible for. It was, therefore, a dream.

But it was in her right to dream, was she not?

"I hope I could get to visit your home, Eichirou-sama."

It was small talk. Musings of a bored princess, if you will. She never really expected a reply. It was why she suddenly felt her heart jump when he did.

"If you'd like, Liliana-himesama," his voice was gentle but inviting as well. "I could show you my world once I find a path back."

The selfish request she let slip was being answered by an Apostle of god. How could she not feel gratitude akin to her prayers being answered. She had to contain her excitement of course, but she could at least be happy he asked, right? Right?!

"Ah, that reminds me, Eichirou-sama," escaping was cowardly, yes. But her shame depended on it as she tried to stop her face from glowing. "Do you have someone waiting for you back in your world."

'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Why THAT one?!' she internally screamed. She had been deep in contemplation previously about how she could assist him, but this was probably going too far. Or at least, her innocent heart thought so. 'Get over yourself, Liliana! He's an Apostle of Ehito-sama. You shouldn't pry into matters beyond your—!'

"Ah, yes. That's right, my Lady," he smiled. "I can be sure that two of them are missing me dearly right now."

"Two?" She asked with a dumbstruck expression.

"Yes, my Lady. Two."

'Two? Why two? I could understand if he had one. But then again, his stories point at the freedom from marriage so would that mean it was okay for more than one life partner? But wouldn't Ehito-sama look badly at that? No wait, this is an Apostle-sama so maybe Ehito-sama wouldn't bother. Does that mean it was fine for two people to devote their life to him as he would to them? Does that mean… Well, I don't want to assume… but maybe I could… Eichirou-sama and I could… we could… NONONONO STOP STOP STOPU!'

"Here you go, Lady Liliana."

As the Princess fought a losing mental battle to her inner desires, Eichirou pulled out a square piece of what appeared to be hard and smooth paper and passed it over the table to her.

"Eh, this is?" Suddenly being handed an object knocked her out of the mental showdown.

"This is a… well, I guess you could say it's a portrait."

"It's quite small," she noted at how thin it was as well. "And lighter than a parchment."

"Technology from my world could achieve such things easily," he stated with the lack of pride one would normally say. He was being humble about it again. "But going back to the main point, these are the two people I spoke off."

Liliana looked down on the image. Two people, a boy and a girl were smiling, as if they were doing it to her. They had a similar face and similarly bright smiles. The boy had short brown hair that wouldn't look off on a knight apprentice. The girl, on the other hand, had long and straight black hair so silky, Liliana thought it would shine under sunlight. To complement their nice looks, they had eyes the color of emeralds.

"They're quite young."

She wasn't surprised. Not at all. As a princess she might even be married off to some foreign prince or king at her age right now. What's one or two more years to political marriage. This one didn't look like it though, with how genuine the two in the image smiled as well as how Eichirou-sama's eyes seemed to glow with warmth.

'I'm jealous,' Liliana threw that thought away. "You must treasure them so much."

"Yes, well. I'm their older brother. How could I not cherish my siblings?"

"Eh?" He said it so matter-of-factly that Liliana paused in her train of thought and her response was similarly numbed. "This is your family?"

"Yes, my Lady," he beamed with pride. "Please, turn the photo around."

She did so, and she noted the family of five. An aging father with a wife and son sticking close to his face, uncomfortably Liliana thought, and two toddlers in the man's arms. She then noticed the son's peculiar eye color behind his glasses. They were violet. Just like Eichirou-sama's.

"You have such a beautiful family," she said while returning the photo.

'I regretfully apologize for assuming your relationship before getting the full story!' She internally screamed within the depts of her heart. 'As the Heiligh Kingdom's first Princess, my arrogance has disgraced you greatly. I humble request your forgiveness.'

Not that she could actually say such things out loud. It would be admitting the guilt to the crime she had yet to make him aware of. Silence is her salvation. And it would be best to stay quiet.

That said, she felt relieved at the news, something she refused to show on her face.

'Maybe… just maybe…'

She didn't get to say what was on her mind. Nor did she ever plan on doing so.

"Yes, my family's great. My siblings are amazing as well. You wouldn't believe how much trouble they bring me but in the end, I can't help but miss them so."

The look on his face as he kept the picture away said it all. He loved his family, adored them so. Then, Liliana bit on her lips. He missed them so. And it was her people that took him away from them. She must've had it written on her face as Eichirou's voice suddenly changed tones.

"Liliana-sama, don't beat yourself over this." He smiled. Even though it should have been he who must've wanted to cry as he did this morning. "Your people were desperate. And maybe, your god was too. There's no one to blame here."

His kind smile as she teared up forced the emotions out of her. The guilt, the frustration, the sadness. She may have been a princess, but she was no stranger to empathy. She was, after all, an older sibling as well.

Had it been her little brother or sister forcibly taken away from her to fight a war, even she would cry and worry.

She never noticed when he left his seat to offer a handkerchief. She only knew that she was using it to dry up her tears.

'How shameless,' she thought. 'To have an Apostle worry about me.'

But she didn't refuse it. She couldn't. Her instincts told her she should have kept her composure. But somehow, somewhere within her, she felt the need to be pampered. The want to be cradled in his arms.

Not that she actually _did_ _do_ it now! She had the sense to keep it from going too far, at least for now.

Teatime ended without another incident.

Her aide, which had put aside the used tea set was now promising to have Eichirou-sama's handkerchief washed and delivered to his room as soon as possible. Eichirou-sama, however, said it was unnecessary to rush and just requested for the maid to take her time. Such a kind man, he didn't feel like he saw himself very highly, but he may have been unaware at just how generous he was.

Any nobleman would have seen it as naivety or weak heartedness to wield power. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Liliana simply saw a man who relied on his own and refused to trouble others with his problems.

In a way, it was troublesome. For Princess Liliana Heiligh wanted to find a way to repay the Apostle as well as the many others.

Then she noticed. He had glanced once again towards her piano. He had done so since they started and his gaze seemed to flit back there every now and then. The princess then thought that it was something familiar to Eichirou. That maybe, there was something about the piano that reminded him of his world. When asked, he simply said he missed the music from Earth.

'Maybe…' Liliana thought. 'I could ease his heart a bit.'

"Eichirou-sama, before you go, could you spare some time to listen to me play?" she spoke as she gestured over to the instrument. "I would like to have you critique music from Tortus and compare it with your world's."

"Well, if it's your request," he seemed oddly excited, the princess noted. "I'd be honored to, my Lady."

She sat down and lifted the cover off the keys. Soon, he was seated near her, in a separate seat of course. It would be difficult for her to play with him right next to her, for many reasons.

A moment of pause as her hands hovered over the keys.

And then, she played. The song itself was a simple tune. One with a strong melody that balanced between happiness and somber notes. It was an old tune that was used to tell the tale of the Heiligh Kingdom, from its creation to its rise, with its struggles and hardships, along with festivities and celebrations. A national song, it would be considered.

It wasn't her favorite tune, no. But it was one she knew she wouldn't fail to play from memory. Had she a copy of the sheets to her favorite, she would have played it over and over for Eichirou-sama to listen to. But then again, that may have annoyed him if he didn't like it.

Soon, it was done, the last note drawn to the end to signify Heiligh's resolve to fight the devils and monsters under the banner of Ehito and the Apostles he would send. It was a simple song of devotion and pride to the kingdom. She expected praises for how devoted she must be to be able to play it so well.

Clap Clap Clap

What she didn't expect was Eichirou clapping. Softly, not to mock her skill, but as if to gently tell her she played well. His genuine smile said it all. He was really impressed, but not by the song.

"To complete a long tune such as this, without breaking composure and remaining elegant all throughout," he slowly stopped clapping and looked to her with a knowing smile. "My Lady, you must have been practicing diligently all this time, haven't you?"

He was impressed by her. Her efforts to learn and play the song without missing a beat.

Somehow, her heart, which had been beating hard through her performance, was beating even louder. So loud in fact that she thought Eichirou-sama could hear it beat from where he sat, if it was even possible.

"Th… Thank you, Eichirou-sama," she accepted praise were she would receive it. "How… how did you like the song?"

He looked at the piano with a difficult face for a while. Probably thinking of the words to say without offending her.

"It wasn't bad, I would say," he finally spoke up. "Such a song really is suited for the piano, but I can't say it really shook my soul."

"'Shook your soul'?"

Liliana tilted her head, unable to understand what the soul had to do with music. She had been taught that music was supposed to be played to praise and thank Ehito-sama's greatness. The song she had performed was all about such things but mainly how Ehito helped build her country, the Heiligh Kingdom. It was one of the reasons why she knew the song well enough to be able to play it without making any mistakes.

But then, she thought something different. It was how unique Eichirou-sama saw music. He didn't seem to think it was _only_ about praising one's deity. Curious, Princess Liliana made a request.

"Could you please demonstrate it for me," she cutely bit her lip while saying so with determined eyes. "How music could _shake_ one's soul?"

"Well," unaware of just how determined the face she was making, Eichirou had to pause for his answer. "If you wish, my Lady…"

Absentmindedly, Liliana moved slightly on the piano's bench. Enough to give him room to play, but ALSO enough for her to sit next to him as he played. He sat down, taking her invitation, so to speak. He had already started to play that it was too late for her to get up and grab another seat. The song had already started.

"This is a favorite of my siblings," Eichirou explained softly. He was close enough for her to hear him whisper. "It's titled 'Medley of a Lull in the Sea' by someone named Ane Menz."

Liliana heard what could be described as raindrops falling into the sea. A melody so fragile and yet so graceful, it couldn't be anything but. A joyful tune, one of childish fun. Of innocence and curiosity to the vast and wonderful world of water.

Suddenly, the tone shifted. It suddenly turned to a nostalgic one. Like the water had gone from cool to slightly warm. Like the depths of the warm sea enveloping her in a nostalgic embrace. He played with the tune going up and down, gently and ever so warmly like a kind memory.

The next change brought with it a strange feeling. It brought to mind the same nostalgia, but one with a more mature, a more accepting outlook. It was till a happy tune, but one with more life, more future and wishful thinking than the other. To Liliana, such a feeling was new, but it was nevertheless accepted warmly.

The last dropped to melancholy of a cold ocean depth. One that at first seemed to grow darker and darker, until eventually, she was surrounded by colors from the deep. The music brought with it the vibrant colors hidden by the sea. And how lonely traversing such a glorious sight would be. However, she wasn't alone. Playing the song with playful care and a kind expression, she saw Eichirou, smiling as a child would.

The music picked up and suddenly even Liliana felt her heart did too. How he played, how he was expressing himself as he played.

How _warmly_ he was _smiling_.

It was as if to say he was there performing for it was fun. He had found it fun and was thoroughly enjoying himself with the music.

_With her_.

She instantly dashed that selfish thought away as Eichirou slowly ended his performance. Slowly, and gently, he let the tune play along until it was silent.

"It's… That was… amazing," her words were limited. Such a vibrant tune, so unlike her own performance which was monotonous and plain. The difference was astounding. But it was also awe-inspiring. "That was… beautiful."

"I agree, my Lady. This song has a story of its own. One of bewildering romance, harmonious innocence and the bittersweet flavor of growing up." That piqued her interest. As much as she liked the music, she could never quell her want for stories. "If you'd like, I could share that with you next time."

She agreed. Wholeheartedly agreed. Actually, forget next time, they should discuss it now—!

BONG BONG

The grandfather clock chimed in with the time.

'Damn!' her tongue silently clicked. 'Time's up.'

Of all the things in her room, she wished she had gotten rid of the clock first instead. The damn thing ruined the moment.

"Ara, would you look at that," Eichirou spoke with a slight hint of regret in his voice as he stood up. "I guess it's time I take my leave, Lady Liliana."

She didn't want him to leave so soon, but she knew it was bad manners to stop him from doing his research. It _was_ her people's fault after all.

"It would seem so," she agreed as she joined him walking towards the door. It was obviously so, but she still couldn't help but muse about it. "How regrettable. I would like to hear the story next time."

"Then," Eichirou suddenly said. "Would you permit me to come again two days from now?"

"Two—… two days…?"

Her train of thought suddenly stuttered. Normally such an appointment wouldn't be done until about a week after. And yet, here he was asking if it was alright with her to come again so soon? How could she accept such a thing? It would be shameless as a princess. It was arrogant for her to think she could just selfishly take his time. In her right mind, she wouldn't even think of… think of…

"Yes, well." He scratched his cheek while attempting to explain. "I will be busy testing my findings tomorrow, and I think it would be rude to just intrude on your prior engagements without setting an appointment—"

"TWO DAYS—! Ahem," she almost shouted over his explanation. "Yes… two days from now… will be… fine…." She continued so in a near whisper while covering her mouth and shyly averting her gaze. But as they stood so, soooo close to one another, it was difficult to NOT hear her. "I'll see you then, Eichirou-sama."

He nodded with a charming smile. She couldn't look as she was already too embarrassed. But as he bowed low to her, she absentmindedly offered her hand. In the heat of the moment, she failed to notice she wasn't wearing any gloves. Seeing her forward hand, he reacted accordingly and kissed her on her knuckles.

"I wish you a good two days then, Lady Liliana-sama."

Soon, the door was closed and it was just Liliana and her personal maid. After a moment of silence and slowly struggling to get back to her seat, the maid spoke up.

"Liliana-oujousama?"

"Hm?"

"Should I get you some water?"

"Hm."

"Understood. Please excuse me."

"Mmm…"

Understanding the subtleties to her lady's current mental status, the maid quickly used this time to escape and leave her highness to contemplate everything that had just happened. There was a pitcher of water already present in the room, yes. But she would still act like she was getting water to leave the child to herself for a while. She might have been the Princess, but to the eyes of her nursemaid and aide, she was but a child who had much to learn. About men and how to react to them.

It was regrettable that the maid herself, someone who had devoted her entire life to taking care of the Princess could not explain in simple terms. Life was never that easy.

But if the Princess could learn how to handle her own feelings for the better, it would mature her into the perfect Queen.

Or so the maid was told to by the current Queen herself.

"Uwawawawawawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The maid smiled softly as she stood by outside. The muffled cries of her Lady went unnoticed, at least, on the surface. Not one of the guards would speak of this if they heard. They respected Liliana-himesama for her hardworking soul too much to disgrace her and any lowly maid that dares gossip would face the personal aide's wrath themselves. But now, she just wishes the little girl named Liliana S.B. Heiligh could vent out all her embarrassment soon. It wouldn't do for her to keep too much stuffed in her chest as her emotions showed far too easily than she realized.

Even without peeking into the room, she knew just how red the little girl's face was.

'Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, truly, you are the worst opponent for the innocent Liliana-himesama.'

The maid kept that thought to herself, wondering just how long Liliana would come to terms at just how hard she might've fallen for the guy.

* * *

Well, drat. I did not fix what needed fixing.

I did need to clear up the misunderstanding this morning, but maybe it was because she asked if I missed someone that I just slipped into the 'proud oniichan' mode.

Fuck me, I need to focus.

Leaving the Princess' study, I began my journey back to my room. The warm afternoon sun was slowly sinking in the horizon from my view at the hallway's window. Night was falling and it was starting to get chilly too. As I walked, my thoughts centered on the mess that I hadn't actually resolved.

But at least she doesn't think I'm odd. At least, not the 'crazy' kind of odd. She was really interested in how modern Earth worked so she may have some interest there. Similarities between our worlds exist. Too much, I would say. When you hear the words 'different world' you'd expect there to be some alien plants or wildlife or maybe a hostile environment filled with monstrosities and abnormal illnesses.

Only half the latter got that right.

I looked out the window and saw the garden, slightly dimmed by the dusk light. Flowers of all kinds were planted around, similar to many others that I've seen across the Netherlands and other countries. There were other proofs too.

The furniture and architecture within the palace were physical ones. The Church of Saints and monarchy of Heiligh were ideological and religious evidences as well, if not a bit primitive compared to modern day Earth.

I didn't expect there to be a piano. God, I really missed playing in ours back home. So much so that I just played an old favorite before the princess without even thinking about the differences in culture. She looked like she enjoyed it, but what if the same couldn't be said for the church? Heck, for all I knew, they might say any music not praising their god could be considered blasphemy!

Whether or not the princess actually held interest in me or my world, the way she had kept her eyes on me is more than enough to cause a misunderstanding. If the classmates saw just how interested Princess Liliana was with my stories, they would start rumors assuming she was interested in _me_ and not the stories. That's not bad. Just to be real, I wouldn't be proud of being the guy to 'snag a princess of another world'. That is in and of itself a whole shitstorm I never want to be in with all the political mumbo jumbo.

Let's not forget the fact that she's also a_ minor!_ I don't care if social norms of Earth don't apply. It feels so… so wrong to do that. Like seeing Daiki start dating a ten-year-old. Or Hanami being picked up by a college student. And both of them are currently still in middle school. Ok, now I'm both disgusted and royally pissed!

_DAMN YOU, EHITO! YOU MADE ME THINK ALL THIS!_

Hold up! Breathe. And release. Breathe and release. Better? Good.

Unintentionally, I had stopped walking to gather my thoughts. The guards nearby didn't flinch at my presence, probably because they were ordered to assist and not bother the Apostles too much. But the nearest one that saw my expression was nervously glancing my way. He probably saw the tired face I was making and didn't know what to do or say. In the end, I just went on my way, not knowing the guard kept his eye on me until I disappeared around the corner.

Going back, classmates, rumors, bad. But that problem could be solved easily by just ignoring it and moving on.

However, there's the Church and the King to consider as well.

Since Eliheid was a real worshipper of the pope—, I mean, the Church, he may like having his daughter get close to an 'Apostle' such as myself or the others. It would probably put him in Ehito's good graces if a god's Apostle, even if it wasn't me, got hitched with the Princess. So to speak, it'd be like undeniable proof that this country was blessed by god. Eliheid would probably be onboard with the idea.

But he was also a pawn of Ishtar.

That was not good. Not at all. If there's anything he can use against me, it's Princess Liliana. Call my bluff as a believer of 'Anima' and not 'Ehito', I might as well be a heretic. A heretic fraternizing with the royal princess who is but a child is an affair that will not be easily forgiven. Worst case, I hang or maybe burn, and the Princess gets stuck in a convent. Worse comes to pass, she's trapped with Creepy McGee.

Aside from a scandal, he could have spies put under her to watch my every move. He has the advantage. I don't know who to trust and Lady Liliana will be too trusting of them all. Any information I divulge or discuss with her would go directly to Popee himself. If he can't find a chink in my defenses, he could poison me through the maids or, most horrible plan, poison Liliana and blame it on me.

Me being dead or imprisoned aside, I can't involve the innocent girl in this problem.

From the talks we had as well as my careful observation of the girl, she was pretty much the definition of a perfect honor student. Not by talent. Even better, through hard work. From what I discussed with the librarian, Liliana was more devoted to her work and studies than she actually was to the Church. There was hope there.

I at least know now that not all of the Royals are mere puppets to Ishtar. Shame the same can't be said for the class with Amanogawa at the helm. They're just scared. _That_ I understand. But it didn't excuse the stupid reasoning of the guy's 'we must fight to protect the humans of this world'.

First of all, even if we and the people here are both considered human, we were likely not even the same race. People of Tortus had magic and stats. Such things were impossible for Earthlings. Yes, somehow my classmates, and maybe I, got the whole magic, stats and skills treatment too, but that didn't mean we were the same as those of Tortus. We were practically alien here.

Secondly, it wasn't the full story. No matter where I looked in their history books, reading and rereading, even looking through the so called 'religious texts', I could not find the history of other races other than 'they are not blessed by Ehito, therefore kill or enslave them all'. That'd be like walking into the Vatican archives and all you find on Muslims is where they are and how to murder them because they were heretics. It was just human propaganda. And there was no way to prove demi-human or devil innocence. Hence, choosing to fight for the 'humans' of Tortus was the only reasonable option.

Damn it. They were scared and there was no way to prove that the path to war was wrong.

My fist balled up tightly as I reviewed my findings.

I have no way of preventing a war. I accepted that fact. The least I could do was try to show them that it was a bad idea. I knew somehow it would be hard to convince them to just help me find a way back. I didn't expect it to be this hopeless, however.

Welp, fuck it. If I can't save everyone, I'll just find a way to save who I can.

Stopping as soon as I reached the corridor leading to the dinner hall, I heard noises. It was the class. They were all happily discussing their day, eating their meals while being rowdy. A positive change compared to yesterday when they all kept quiet and nervous.

It was a weird thing. Yesterday, they were kidnapped. Today, it was like they were having a field trip. I couldn't hear Hatayama-sensei's voice. Probably she was too nervous to be as cheery as the others. They were making do by hiding their anxiety through laughter. As the responsible adult, Hatayama Aiko probably didn't want to ruin their escapist fantasy but didn't know what to do otherwise.

Somehow, I didn't feel like joining them. Like Hatayama-sensei, I didn't feel like being too merry right now. It was the end of the first day as the Church's captive. I didn't have enough of a Stockholm syndrome to get along with the people of Tortus. I was polite to the maids, guards, royal family and the priests, the last being as minimal as possible, but that didn't mean I accepted this fate.

Bluffing about my god being mad at Ehito for taking us was a real fat lie. Scamming the king by getting help from Earth is an even more bad idea. Makes me guilty for suggesting becoming his friend too. Entertaining the princess on my off time is potential danger that even my siblings would probably pick up on.

Anymore and I increase the risk of blowing my cover. Being interviewed by the class in front of the king is as good as a court hearing. Silence would seal my fate if someone decided to ask something stupid. Hiyama and Amanogawa are potential risk factors. And While Hatayama-sensei would mean well, there's a chance she might say something off-putting. Better to make an Endou and just disappear into the background.

I'll be sure to make it up to the guy for dissing him by finding a way home early.

"Um, Yamamoto-sama?"

Oh, right. She's been following me this whole time.

"What is it, Iselda-san?"

"Do you not wish to have dinner? The rest of the Apostles have probably just started. It wouldn't be too late to join them."

True, I needed to eat. But I really didn't want to get in there. Like at all.

"Hm," I was already wearing a worn-out expression, so I might as well act like it as well. "I'm feeling slightly tired right now. I guess I'll just turn in early for the night."

"Understood. Then," Iselda asked as innocently as I could tell. "Would you like me to set aside your portion and deliver it to your room?"

If the pope wants to poison me, now's the time. This innocent-looking maid would be the delivery as well as a scapegoat if need be. But there shouldn't be anything off about me that would warrant such extreme measures. Not yet, at least. So maybe, just maybe, I'll be fine for today.

"If you could do that, I'd be grateful," I politely responded. "Oh, and if anyone asks, please tell them I tired myself out reading too much from the Library."

I tried making my most exhausted expression yet. She must've bought it because she immediately bowed and left to do my bidding. Nothing left to do, I quickly walked past the hall's doors. I walked as fast as I could without rousing suspicion and slipped back into my room, unseen by anyone except the guards.

Taking off the coat and placing it on the nearby chair, I placed the inner pocket contents onto the table and took off the rest of my tight-fitting vest, including the dress shirt, before laying down on the comfy bed half-naked.

I sank into the sheets without a care in the world. My thoughts went back to review this long, loooong day. So few things happened but there were so many new discoveries about this world. It was a surprise to be able to do magic, but the shock value had diminished due to the circumstances of being trapped against my will. At least Kousuke and Hajime were cool about it. And the princess wasn't as bad as I thought. I still need to clear up things with her but at least I knew she wasn't corrupted by the pope, yet. What else did I miss? Oh right!

I got back up, reluctantly, and sat myself next to the table. On top of it was my family photo, something I had to keep my eye on at all times, and the plate Kousuke handed me a while back.

Thinking about it, I totally forgot it existed until now. I guess I should check it out. Taking a letter opener from the table, basically a small knife with a blade as long as my middle finger, and nicking the smallest of cuts to my thumb, I stuck the small wound onto the engraving.

"Whoa, what the—!"

The small plate shone a light that brightly lit up my dark room. Had the drapes been pulled aside, the light would've surely spilled out into the night sky.

Strangely, the light seemed to flicker for a bit. Like it was a phone lacking battery power to fully turn on. That was if said 'phone' was actually a 'spotlight' and by 'flicker', I meant the light was 'sputtering to life and dying out'. Once it was gone, I took a look back at the device and checked around it if anything was broken.

Huh, weird. Kousuke never mentioned it shining before.

"Status Open." Deciding that I should be able to check it now, I spoke the words. "Now then, what did I get—?!"

.

.

.

"What the FU—"

* * *

"Fuuuh," The young maid let out a sigh as she walked the corridors alone, pushing a cart with a few trays atop it. 'I wonder if Yamamoto-sama would enjoy eating alone.'

She had been a bit worried about the Apostle put under her care ever since he came out from Princess Liliana's study. Judging by his expression, he was exhausted and needed rest. But he wasn't so much tired before his appointment with Liliana-himesama. That left the question:

What had exhausted him so much?

'Was it the reading?' she thought about it.

Having learned how to read as part of the requirements for working in the palace, Iselda found it difficult enough to continuously study a book. More so that it was hard to grasp concepts and having to study multiple languages made it even harder. Not to say that she didn't appreciate the added repertoire of skills. Being able to converse multiple languages would allow her to read and write whenever needed. But she still preferred manual labor over mental ones.

That is to say, she thought Yamamoto Eichirou as impressive. Just skimming through a book from a world not his own, he found what he needed in a little under a day and had moved on to another topic before Iselda could even notice. Such skill and comprehension of new topics was enough to convince the girl that the Apostle must have been better than the scribes or mages that served in the Royal Court. Those civil officers and magicians had to take years of training in order to cast simple magic and yet it only took Yamamoto-sama a few glances at a book, copying its magic circle inscription, and casually chanting the words to perform a perfect casting of light magic.

Truly, if not his skill, his status as an Apostle made him more adept at such things more than the mere humans of Tortus.

But if he was able to accomplish all that through reading without so much as a drop of sweat, then it probably wasn't the library that tired him out. But there was only one other probable answer.

Thinking about it, the First Princess of Heiligh wasn't one to tire another out through casual conversation. She was pretty civil and methodical. Any orders or statements given by her were clear and straight to the point. The young maid just couldn't see her as someone who would bore another out or waste their time. Her refined and graceful mannerisms in fact would've kept her partner attentive at all times.

'Then again, she appeared to be infatuated with Yamamoto-sama, so that might have had something to do with it.'

The princess was a very reserved person. She was never one to be forward in terms of interaction. She always listened and waited before making her move. Could it be that she was making advances on the Apostle that he was suddenly overwhelmed?

'You are a maid.' The maid shook the thoughts from her head. 'You work for the palace. You shouldn't think that way about your employers. Even if the princess is trying to get close with Yamamoto-sama, it isn't of your concern. Just focus on your duty!'

"Fuuuh," the sigh grew louder.

Iselda wanted to silence her woes. But the heart in her chest refused to stop thumping wildly whenever she saw his face.

'Maybe I'm just sick,' she thought. 'I should probably go ask one of the others for some medicine.'

By others, she meant the senior, or older, maids. Although they could be a handful sometimes, they always meant well. They tease, yes. But they looked out for one another. The princess' personal maid was extremely generous in that regard as she was one of, if not the oldest, of the servants in the palace. She also used to be Liliana-himesama's nursemaid as well. She could ask them for help when she needed it.

Except for the Head Maid.

That one was as strict as a devil's magic was powerful and she would be the very last person Iselda would go to for help. The woman was old and experienced, sure. But she was just as scary and overwhelming as any of the monsters that dwelled in the Sea of Trees, or so the saying among the maids went.

Rumors say she used to be an adventurer who retired after most of her party was killed. Others said she was a nun of Ehito who was given a vision to work as a maid for the king in god's service. Then there were the crazy ones where it was said she was actually a devil who sacrificed many demi-human slaves to achieve the youth and appearance of a human woman. So the tales about her go.

But if there was one thing Iselda learned she should never do, that was to never fail the Head Maid's expectations for she was terrifying when you didn't know if she was angry or disappointed.

Iselda had never met a devil before, but the terrifyingly cold visage of that old hag was close enough for a depiction of one.

"—UCK?!"

Suddenly, the sound of someone shouting jumped Iselda out of her thoughts. Looking towards the source, it came from the corridors that led to the Apostles' chambers. As every one of them was now having dinner with the exception of one, Iselda knew which door to approach first.

KNOCK KNOCK

She rapped on the door first then made her presence known.

"Yamamoto-sama?! Is there a problem?"

When no reply came forth, she tried to lean forward and listen for any movement in the room. When she didn't hear anything, she tried knocking once more, however, the door suddenly swung inward. With her still leaning on the hard wood.

"Woah—!" A surprised voice shouted. "Iselda-san? Are you alright? What happened?!"

'That's what _I_ want to know!' she internally screamed as she clung onto his _topless, naked form._

BADUMP

She felt it once.

BADUMP BADUMP

She actually felt it twice.

BADUMPBADUMPBADUMP

She couldn't tell if it was hers beating so fast or his overpowering her eardrums but she pulled her act together and stood up straight. Granted, he had to lend her support as she tripped on her legs on the way in.

"I-I… I heard a loud noise outside!" she stuttered as she tried making her excuse. "I tried knocking but you didn't respond."

She was stammering, unable to decide where to look. Hence, she was left to just glare at his _solid and surprisingly smooth stomach_.

BADUMP

She realized the rudeness of her conduct and tried to right it.

"For… For falling into your strong arms like that, this maid humbly requests your forgiveness, Yamamoto-sama!"

She bowed a perfect ninety. And she didn't rise until he spoke up and ordered her to do so. She almost blatantly refused that order as well as she couldn't stand exposing her red-hot face to his _red-hot bod_.

"No, I should apologize. For causing Iselda-san to worry so much for me, I truly am an ungrateful guest. Sorry for the trouble, Iselda-san."

"Uh, eh, no. It's… It's not…Yamamoto-sama is not at fault," she stutters at his apology. "I was just… worried. After all… I was bringing Yamamoto-sama's dinner as he requested it…"

"Ah, perfect timing." Yamamoto-sama sheepishly scratched his head. "I noticed the smell so I accidentally tripped getting off the bed."

"Pfft—!" Iselda stifled her laughter but caught it before it could fully escape. She thought it was cute, but she couldn't just _say that_ now, could she? Trying not to release her mirth, she responded. "I-Is that so. I-I see."

Regaining from her fluster of emotions, she carted in the meal and began to lay it out on his table. She was being very careful and noticed the small and surprisingly thin portrait next to the coat that _he was not wearing_.

She would have blushed had she not noticed it was a portrait of a family. A familiar boy looked like the younger version of the young man standing next to her. _Topless_. Ehito be damned, why was he still _naked_! Oh, thank god, he's wearing his dress shirt—oh Ehito, why?! Why is that making him look _hotter_?!

CLANK

The maid's thoughts went unverbalized as she laid down the food tray with a loud noise. Fortunately, none of the tray's contents splashed or sprayed anywhere. So she quickly stood back and allowed the Apostle to eat. The entire time she kept trying to glance away from him, and despite his invitation to eat with him, she politely refused. It would be beyond arrogance for her to accept such a thing. That being said, she couldn't stop glancing back at the portrait on the table. He probably noticed as well, seeing as she kept glancing at his body then to the photo then back.

"Is this your family?" she finally asked, unable to control her curiosity. Internally slapping herself, she made to retract her statement. "My apologies. I was just curious."

"No, no. There's no need to apologize." He smiled. Warmly. Even though he looked so tired, he seemed to enjoy having something to talk about. "This is my family. My mother, father, and two siblings."

Iselda noted. Although Yamamoto-sama spared her a glance as he answered, he kept the warm gaze on his family. He must miss them, so she thought. Maybe it was because he was also curious or that they were on the topic, but he asked as well.

"What about you, Iselda-san? Do you have family?"

"… Yes. My mother and brother."

Her response was quite silent. There was a reason for that. Unlike his family which looked happy and well, she had forgotten how long ago since she saw her mother's healthy smile.

"What about your father?" he asked.

"He disappeared after Leo, after my brother was born."

She didn't want to talk about that man, but if the Apostle asked, would refusing be considered offensive? But maybe, she need not have worried. For it seemed even Yamamoto-sama was sensitive enough to not ask. Instead, he spoke about someone else.

"Leo, it's a beautiful name. Is he a strong child, your brother?"

Iselda didn't know why he would ask, but nonetheless responded.

"Yes, he is. Leo's been a good child. Even though mother has been weak for most of his life, he has always smiled for both our sakes and worked hard for us all."

'In the absence of their father' went unsaid. But it was implied. For some reason, this brought a smile to Yamamoto-sama's face. Why was that, she wondered. It must've showed on her face as he responded to her unspoken question.

"I see even in another world, things such as sibling love still exists." He had a nostalgic smile, as if reminiscing his own family, Iselda thought. "Tell me, Iselda-san. Would you do anything for your brother and mother?"

She didn't know why the Apostle was asking. Maybe it was to test her faith, or maybe to check her mettle to work as a maid in the palace. Either way, her answer was always clear. Despite how hard she had to work. She would never say it wasn't worth it if it was for her family.

"Yes, Yamamoto-sama."

She replied with a determined gaze. Her answer must've pleased him, for his own analytical gaze narrowed, then relaxed.

"I see." He then finished his meal and allowed her to clean up. As she was about to leave, he added. "Your pope, Ishtar Lombard, once said that Ehito rewards those that offer their services in his name. However, my god has something else to say about that."

Staring deep into her eyes, she almost blushed if not for the heavy tone he continued with.

"Anima challenges all no matter their circumstances, and only those that are truly deserving receive not the reward they desire, but the reward they require."

In other words:

'Anima will test you and, if you succeed, you will get what you deserved.'

Quite different from Ehito-sama's teachings of 'Serve and be rewarded'. There seemed to be a trial of sorts. But if this was the word of an Apostle, it wouldn't do to just ignore it. She may have been just a maid, but she was a child of faith as well.

If an Apostle of Ehito-sama was telling her she was going to be tested by his god called Anima, she must listen and take heed of it.

"Then, I shall do my best to not disappoint."

She bowed low to offer respect to the Apostle and closed the door as she left.

All this time, she was unaware of Yamamoto's subtle attempt at fishing for a spy. And her response was instead taken as 'if your god tries, Ehito-sama will prevail'.

Needless to say, Yamamoto Eichirou now had two problems pestering him as he tried to sleep. One being the contents of his Status Plate, the other was him being completely sure that his maid was the Church's spy.

Regrettably, he didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

On the other hand, a maid slept soundly, wondering what kind of trials from Anima awaited her as well as dreaming of the rewards her brother and mother would enjoy upon her passing of it.

She also dreamed of the feeling of being on his chest. The subtle thumps of the heart, either hers or his. And the warmth of his embrace.

That is until she fell off her bed and woke on the cold, hard floor to the interrogating gazes of her fellow maids, wondering who this 'goshujin-sama' of her sleep talks was.

* * *

**_Nope, still not guaranteeing this as a regularly updated fic. I might pass out one day and let the week go by before I update it in the future, so don't expect me to keep it regular._**

**_I won't post the Status Plate. Maybe next week. Maybe. Don't even know if tables even work in ffnet._**

**_If the story's getting boring, it's because I'm doing it at my own pace. Can't do it the same as the web novel, with two weeks going by in under 3 chapters. Dafuq is that supposed to be?!_**

**_Oh, yeah, the anime came out. Yep absolutely glorious garbage as expected of 2019. Wonderful time to be alive everybody! Amiryt?! Can I get an 'Amen'?!_**

**_._**

**_._**

**_._**

**_No one? Seriously? You guys suck. What? You expect moi to pander to you? Bois, and grils (if any), you peeps do understand this place is ffnet and not whatpad, right?_**

**_Anyways, this is chap 3. Enjoy. Don't understand something, tell me. Maybe I missed something in checking. I'm doing a magic lecture next chap, so wait on that if you dare._**

**_Also, to the 15 new Favs and 15 new Followers, you better double check if you're really gonna enjoy this. I can't promise anything. Want proof? Look at my other train wrecks that still haven't gotten back up._**


	4. Chapter 4

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 4: Similar Class, Different Lesson**

* * *

"Uuuggghh…" I groaned with disdain with a hand on my forehead as I sat upright on the edge of my bed.

It was morning, a day or so since I first looked at my Status Plate. I had spent the good time of yesterday swamped with books, trying to find something to explain my situation, something to give me a slight amount of hope.

"Status Open."

Bringing up the small 'artifact' before my tired eyes to recheck if I had awoken from the nightmare.

"Fuck me."

I hadn't and ended up accidentally tapping the small, aggravating thing on my glasses which I wished wasn't there so I couldn't read the damn thing.

"Fucking hell. This god's really starting to piss me off."

I rescanned the plate's contents. Lo and behold, it looked worse every time I looked at it.

* * *

Name - Yamamoto Eichirou | Age - 18 Years Old

Gender - Male | Level 1

Class -

Strength - 10 | Vitality - 10

Resistance - 200 | Agility - 10

Magic - 200 | Magic Resistance - 200

Skills

· Language Comprehension

· Living Encyclopedia of Another World

· Appraisal

* * *

Classless. Fucking classless.

This was fine.

_No, it was not._

This should be fine!

_And if they ask?!_

… It was not fine.

_OF COURSE IT'S FUCKING NOT!_

Going over it, I did get some skills. Now that I think about it, language should have never been the same between worlds unless they were among the ones with a 99.999999…% similarity rate. This isn't the same as that Time Leap anime with the microwave and cellphone that my little sister adores. It shouldn't be possible, and yet Language Comprehension explained how I could communicate with everyone in Tortus perfectly.

But what were the other two?

According to Kousuke, people get skills according to their talents and aptitudes. If I guess correctly, someone who is sturdy would get something akin to a defensive skill. In Kousuke-kun's case, he was given one that matched his body's natural imperceptiveness. Somehow, I doubt it was a talent he honed on his own, or even wanted to improve at all. But it was something that defined him.

So what the hell would 'Living Encyclopedia of Another World' be used for? Is it base knowledge of Earth? Tortus? Goddamn plate's so damn accurate, I wonder what the fuck could it mean?!

After closing myself off in the library yesterday, I found 'Appraisal' quick and simple. As the word implied, I could appraise things. That's it.

_That's it?! That's fucking it?!_

Maybe it was because of my analytical nature, but that didn't explain what the skill did. At least, not at first. Apparently, being an oh-so ultra-rare skill, very few information has been published about it. Mostly because there were multiple variations like Ore Appraisal for Synergists or Plant Appraisal for Farmers. But then, there were very few references to the 'Appraisal' variant.

Probably, because of its generalized nature, it had the potential to root out classified information from _all_ things. Not just simple things as rocks and crops.

Take a chef's secret recipe, for example. He makes a soup with recipe. Serves it to someone with the skill. They use the skill. A few days later, someone's made a soup recipe better than the original. Tada, profit.

And that's the _almost harmless_ version.

Thinking more about it, this could potentially be used to scam people of their hard work. If a farmer needed grain to be checked for defects and he had to _pay_ an appraiser to do it, they could just _lie_ and say the stock was infected and would offer a cheap price to buy it off them. Once he has the stuff, he could sell it off at higher prices with just the _mention_ of his skill guaranteeing the quality.

Forget about stealing soup, this could cause a break down the economy. There's no way any civil official in their right mind would allow this skill to just roam free, unchecked or unregulated. What's more, I bet my ass they'd actually abuse it. No way any corrupt politician wouldn't use this to their advantage in my world. Hell, if you could appraise someone's tax returns by just lookin' at 'em, Rump would probably get kicked out the White House before Christmas.

And if government officials would tie me down because of this skill, you can bet Ishtar would use it against me as well. Not good for me who just wants to get the fuck out of here.

_Just how the hell was my 'being analytical' so much of a problem?!_

Maybe this was why Kousuke hated his own skill. No wait, that's actually helpful in this case. I wonder if he would agree to trade with me.

Contemplating on what to do, I had gotten up and already began pacing once again in the middle of the room. No doubt someone would one day come in and wonder why the central section of the floor was more worn out than the rest. But I didn't care what they had to say about it.

I needed a plan.

Not telling them is the best way. But I don't see how I could convince them to drop it or keep it secret if anyone asked me to show it.

Kousuke and Hajime would probably stay quiet. They didn't really seem to have anything against me. But if threatened by the Church, then maybe, he would give. It's only natural. It's a human being's self-preservation instincts. The one who would be at fault then would be me for bringing him deeper into my mess.

Then, should I give it up as public knowledge? No, no, that won't help either. I could probably choose to share it with those close with me, provided they could keep their mouth shut. Just that the bad thing is everyone going nuts about how I have deplorable survival stats.

Glancing back at the plate, I noted Strength, Vitality, and Agility were all low. They would be physical prowess, endurance, and speed respectively. Why there was no DEX, or Dexterity Stat, was beyond me. Was there no measure of how _good_ a person was using their martial art, motor, or weapon skills? Did that mean there are those with high damage powers but with low accuracy if they've never touched the weapon before?

No, wait! Stop. You're rambling about unnecessary things again. Back to the stats. They were unbalanced. Terribly at that. With the given three as the lowest, 10 each. Compared to the others, I had no specialization or a proper role to play with such stats.

But then there were the higher ones.

Magic and both Resistances. At 200. Kousuke said Amanogawa was 100 for all stats. Given that the average for Tortus denizens were 10 across the board and around 100 to 50 for the classmates from Earth, would it be right to say mine were worse than abnormal? If I had double Amanogawa's Resistance, does that mean he and the others can't do much against me? But then my strength and endurance ones were low. I could be hit once and most likely _die_ if their Strength trumped my Resistance.

Does this mean I had to play it smart and depend on magic? But I wasn't something akin to a Magician or Sorcerer or Warlock. Will I have to depend on magic anyway?

I shivered at the thought. Using magic was cool and all but having to depend on it while a creepy chill ran down my spine every time I cast something was a big 'No'. It would distract me to no end. Sure, I could get used to it, probably with practice. But I didn't feel like it. I'm not trying to be lazy about it. I just don't like that eerie _feeling_.

Then again, if I have so much magic, they could consider it abnormal. Like a man who was born with an EMP ability he couldn't control. That shit goes straight to Area 51 or the Gulag or some underground facility to keep it from damaging their surroundings. I could be restrained all the same for being an unstable magic battery, relatively speaking.

At least it explained why I could just continue testing magic without running out of steam yesterday. In fact, all my trials using basic spells with parchment-inked magic circles were strangely impressive to the librarians eyes and I didn't find it difficult to use the spells much either.

To test out what her weird enthusiasm was all about, we simultaneously used the Candlelight spell with the same inscribed magic circle. Mine had a delayed activation but glowed clearly, like a real torch but bluish and bright. Hers was slightly dimmer, flickering rather than burning, and glowed a dim orange to a weak yellow. A bit on the weak side. Not only that, but she was quickly tired out by my inscribed circle's mana requirement despite it being the minimum amount required for a very small but clear light.

Then again, she also said her magic was almost in the 100's by now due to using magic to maintain the library for most her life. And she looked to be at least in her late 20's. Given that stats grow as one uses it, she must've been using it at least several times a day ever since she started working in the place.

Does that mean it was just because I had a higher magic capacity? A higher growth potential? Or is it because of efficiency or some mechanic not even the people here are aware of?

Either way, my magic was too noticeable to hide.

_Ah, shit. Too many variables to consider. I really don't like my position right now._

In summary, either the Appraisal Skill gets me arrested and chained for being potentially illegal, or my high Magic stats forces them to keep an eye on me as I train to use magic properly.

.

.

.

Ah fuck it. Better get dressed before I lose my head through overthinking everything.

I put the Status Plate down for a minute and popped open the closet. Grabbing something similar to what I wore two days ago, I started getting dressed. The dress shirt fit me like a glove. Slipping my family's photo into the inner coat pocket, I checked my reflection on the mirror.

It was still dark with little sunlight as it was just the early morning. I really didn't feel like sleeping in or associating with the rest of the class. I just repeated the same thing for three straight days. Get up, eat early, straight to the library, get back early, sleep, repeat.

I haven't met up with any of them, save for Hajime dropping by in the library yesterday. When he did so the day before, he had asked the librarian for books on non-combat classes. The same thing yesterday but I kept to myself most of the time he was there. No doubt it would be the same routine today if he gets the free time.

Maybe he had the same problem as me with his status plate? I couldn't be sure, but it was probably that seeing as he went quiet during the time Kousuke and I talked about it.

I can offer advice. That is, I would. But seems like I can't even resolve my own problems.

Who am I kidding?

With a hand to my chest, just right above the photo and my heart, I pocketed the plate and breathed deep.

Calm? Focused? Good. Another long day awaits—!

KNOCK KNOCK

"Yamamoto-sama, will you be having your breakfast early today as well?"

Ah, right on cue. It's only been three days, four if I count our kidnapping day, and she's already expecting me to get up this early. The young maid truly is a hardworker. I winced at the trailing thought.

A shame she followed Ehito's cult, ergo she was a pawn to the Church of Saints.

Not that I can say she should convert to Anima when I pulled _that_ garbage out of nowhere.

Opening the door, she stood there, waiting and ready for my response. She had a proper rest today, seeing as she wasn't yawning or looking sleepy.

"Good morning, Iselda-san."

"Good morning to you as well, Yamamoto-sama." She bowed while greeting me. She wasn't as flustered as before anymore. She's still probably suspicious of me. Just got used to hiding it. "Um, your plans today—?"

"Same as yesterday," I responded as politely as possible. Although we've both had some sleep, hers was probably more comfortable than mine, seeing as I never had her do much other than find more books for me for the past few days. "I'll have an early meal then go back to the Library to resume my research. But later in the afternoon, at Lady Liliana's behest, I'll be having tea again with the First Princess."

No use hiding that fact. If I attempt to do so, the Church, and maybe Eliheid, might think I was meeting with her in secret. Scandalous, yes. Potential blackmail/threat, double yes.

Had I kept myself in check at the time, maybe this wouldn't have troubled me so much. But there's nothing I can do to change it now. I got too caught up in reminiscing about home that I _just had_ to have tea with her again.

But even if it was I who put the suggestion before her in the first place, Lady Liliana still accepted it. She's in as much danger as I if I don't play the charade of 'being friendly to the Royal Family'. Eliheid might've announced me as _his_ friend, but that didn't mean he was out of the Church's pocket. Not yet, at least. I should do my best to make sure Liliana stays a neutral party in all this mess.

Better to keep my enemies well informed about my movements then. So long as they don't see me as much of a threat, they may just leave me, and her, be. Hopefully. Probably.

"Understood." The young maid nodded in acknowledgment. Maybe she was going to report it to her superiors later, but that was fine. For now, I had nothing to hide between me and Lady Liliana. "Then please wait as I fetch a meal and deliver it back here to your—"

"Iselda!"

Suddenly having her name called, the maid jumped and nearly did so into my arms. I also nearly jumped out my skin, but more out of panic than actual fear. Fortunately, neither Iselda nor the newcomer noticed my shock as I quickly recomposed myself and peaked over in the direction of the voice.

Another maid. Taller. More voluptuous. And a bit more energetic than the silent observer assigned to me. Judging by the familiarity in calling to her, this one was either her senior or a friend.

"Amelia-senpai!" Her senior then, I surmised. "You shouldn't yell out like that! It's disrespectful in front of Apostle-sama."

Huh, the junior was scolding her senior. Don't see that every day.

"Isn't it fine? They don't get up early anyways. What's the big… deal…?!" Considering that she suddenly glanced in my direction and noticed me, and by the embarrassed look Iselda-san was giving her back, I guess this maid named Amelia was the energetic but airheaded type. "I—I humbly apologize for my rudeness, Apostle-sama! I will accept any punishment you deem fit for my disturbing your rest!"

She almost broke her back, bending low in apology. At least, I think she might've already done so. Well, I wasn't really offended in any way. I'd been awake for nearly an hour by now.

But it wouldn't do to show weakness.

"There would be no need for that. However," I gave a serious expression as I reprimand her. Just a tad scolding and nothing more. "You should know better than to raise your voice near someone's bedroom. You wouldn't want to risk waking up those who are exhausted from their daily training. Remember to not do so again."

"I'm grateful for your mercy."

Jeez, this Apostle thing really grated on my nerves. Just a few words and suddenly the believers are prostrating so hard. I really, reeeaaaally did not like being an Apostle. I preferred being a normal dude. Then again, maybe being an Apostle's what kept me relevant to them all this time. A blessing as well as a curse. Damn the title.

"I thank you for your mercy as well, Yamamoto-sama," Iselda bowed low as well before addressing her colleague. "Then, Amelia-senpai, did you need me for something?"

"Eh, ah! Right!" Digging through her apron pocket, she procured an envelope. "I was tasked to deliver this to Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, the Apostle under your care."

"Who's it from," I asked with my hand held out. It took Amelia a few moments to connect the dots that _I_ was Yamamoto Eichirou. Quite an airhead.

"I-It's from the Knight Commander, Meld Loggins-sama."

I took out the letter and read the contents. After rereading it to be clear, I let out a sigh.

Looks like fate wanted to play around. Either that or Ehito's up to something.

"Iselda-san, change of plans. I'll be having breakfast with the Knight Commander instead. Could you please guide me to their barrack's mess hall?"

"Right now, Yamamoto-sama?"

I nodded and reread the letter while lowering it for her to see.

"It seems he has something he wants to talk to me about."

"Understood. I shall lead you there. Please, follow me."

I did just that. Bidding the bowing Amelia adieu, I followed Iselda through the winding corridors.

The place was quite silent, save for our footsteps. Well, it _was_ early morning. Not even Hatayama-sensei was awake yet, probably tuckered out from joining the class during physical training for the past two days.

And yet, despite their being only the guards, Iselda, and I, I could feel something akin to a gaze directly behind me. Every time I looked over my shoulder, no one was there and the guards neither flinched nor stirred. Strange, I thought. I resisted the urge to keep looking back. I knew I would find no one suspicious there. If they could hide this long, then there would be zero chances for me to know who it was. But that didn't mean someone wasn't following me. I wonder why they would though.

I kept my guard up until I reached the barrack's mess hall.

* * *

"Nice to meet you. My name is Yamamoto Eichirou. Eichirou is fine."

"Meld Loggins. Likewise, call me Meld."

"Then, Meld-dono—"

He held up a hand to cut the boy off.

"Drop the formalities. Just 'Meld' is fine." The boy visibly sighed and shrugged while giving a relaxed smile, as if he found it difficult to _not _show respect. A commendable personality, Meld thought. "Now, please sit. I'm guessing you haven't eaten anything yet."

He signaled his subordinates to fetch a meal for the young Apostle. Soon, they came back with the usual rations all the soldiers ate. Several chunks of meat, some vegetables, a soup and a piece of bread. Meld noticed that the boy clasped his hands together and noted that he muttered a small word of thanks for the meal before partaking of the food.

"Sorry if it isn't to your taste," Meld apologized. He noted that many of the Apostles preferred to eat the luxurious meals of the palace over the scraps given to the guards. "Rations are pretty much limited now as we have to prepare for the war."

"Ah, it's no big deal." Meld had raised an eyebrow at what he meant until the boy started eating the scraps without even flinching. "I was wondering why the palace meals weren't as small as they should be. Good to know that there are _some_ who think rationing is necessary during wartime."

"You expected it to be so?" the Knight Commander asked curiously.

"Of course," Yamamoto replied. "If even one person eats more than they should, another could die of starvation a day earlier. If the ones starving were civilians, you could expect a riot. But if they were soldiers instead, you'd expect them to surrender."

The boy made an expression that he was just stating facts.

"I'd expect such a simple concept as 'maintaining unity' to be well known among officials and officers."

"Officers, sure," Meld agreed with the statement. "But civil officials are harder to placate when it comes to lowering their standard of living."

"I guess it's the same in any world," the boy replied with a knowing smile. "If everyone were so short-sighted as to not focus on the bigger picture, I doubt the Heiligh Kingdom would remain standing as it is. The Knights here are competent. I'll give you that."

"Thanks for such praise," Meld accepted it gladly. But then, he remembered he was talking to a boy, a child, not of this world, and wondered how he knew of such things as the value of logistics and morale. "Have you faced similar troubles in your world before?"

The boy shook his head, already halfway done with his meal.

"Not me, personally. But there are many countries in my world that have undergone similar circumstances during times of war. There was once a country that chose to flood their own lands to slow the enemy down, however, the casualty count climbed into the millions. Moreover, most of them were of their own citizens and not the enemy."

Meld frowned at the story. Scorched earth tactics were implemented when one needed to halt or delay enemy advancements. But to say the scale reached far above the thousands? Just how cruel would one have to be to make such a decision.

His expression must've been a grave one as the boy added.

"Not to worry, Meld. This happened a long time in the past. The damages have been repaired and the descendants of those casualties now live decent lives in a time of peace."

"If you say so, I'm relieved."

The boy nodded in response. But his eyes, they were blank and emotionless. There was a message there.

Millions in casualties. Civilians, no less. What a cruel result. And all of it amounted to be a delay of their enemies. Had such a thing happened to Heiligh, Meld wasn't sure if he could live without the guilt.

This brought with it another thought.

How could this boy before him say such things like one would a history lesson, and yet still have eyes that said they understand how severe such things were?

The other Apostles acted fine, excited even, when they were told they would be trained and armed to fight a war. They were just kids. And yet, they were thrilled about it. But this one, Yamamoto Eichirou, spoke calmly, reserved. He didn't act like he wanted any part in it. Instead, his violet eyes burned with defiance at the thought of being forced to the same task.

"Anyway, why have you called me here?" The boy had finished his meal. Even the hard bread which was normally difficult for new recruits to bite down on was just crumbs on the plate. Meanwhile, Meld's own was still half-full. "I highly doubt it was just for a friendly chat."

"You've got me there," Meld conceded. He had invited the boy under the pretense of having a talk. He hadn't specified the topic in the letter, seeing as someone might've intercepted it if it was. "I actually wanted to ask you to join our training for today."

"With all due respect, Meld," the boy was shaking his head in refusal already. A reasonable response, one that was missing from the other children, minus the self-proclaimed adult of theirs. "I don't see why I, someone who doesn't want to fight, should join. As you may have heard, my focus is somewhere else. I wish to research magic that would allow me to open a gate back to our world—"

"So you could return home and request for more competent help, am I correct?"

The boy seemed surprised at being interrupted but nodded to admit he was right. The King had informed Meld of Yamamoto's suggestion and liked the idea as well. Just that it was a farfetched one and had a very little chance of actually working in the King's eyes. The reason the King accepted in the first place was to allow this Apostle to willingly contribute. Being persons of great potential, it was better that they were focused on farfetched ideas than moping about and wasting precious resources. Who could say that an Apostle's work wouldn't go unrewarded in the future but Ehito himself?

But it was nonetheless a noble goal to the Knight Commander. One not blinded by heroism or desperation. It was rational and logical.

The kind of thinking he wished the rest of the Apostles had.

He wouldn't lie, he knew the Heiligh Kingdom was desperate. Had he a choice, he would've preferred to sacrifice himself before having to resort to involving outsiders. But the Church didn't want to wait. Nor did they care. Eradication of the devils took top priority. All else was negligible.

Meld's hand balled up to a fist at the thought. He too was a man of faith. But his morals ranked higher in that regard.

And it didn't like the idea of sending children, not ones form Tortus at that, to fight a war.

"Worry not." Meld continued. "We'll be having a magic training session today instead."

He noted the boy's expression perked up at that. He _was_ focusing on magic. It would be in his best interest as well.

"Lecturers from the magic corps of the army as well as a few court mages will come to assist. After the lectures, there'll be a time for practical testing."

"I've already started testing on my own."

"But you haven't increased the scale yet, have you?" Meld noticed the boy's look sour slightly. "Nor have you tested all the elements and spells archived in the library."

He had been informed of the boy's actions for the past few days. Well, more 'investigated' than 'informed'. It seemed no one thought it best to keep him in the loop when it came to this Apostle in particular. A fact that was both suspicious but acceptable as Yamamoto did not wish to take part at all.

"It would also be a good experience to have some of the experts observe and give you notes. It _could help_ with your plan to open a gate to your world."

It took the boy a few minutes to consider the offer. Meld knew he would accept as it was helpful too his goal in a way. But he felt the hesitation was there for a reason. Meld didn't know why exactly, but it felt as if the young man was… suspicious of him. It might've been because he was from another world. But maybe it was more that he was naturally suspicious.

It wasn't a nice way to live, but Meld could admit it was a mature way of thinking to some extent. Being given something nice without expecting to have to give in return was naiveite in its rawest form. By contemplating on why he was being given such an opportunity, Yamamoto had proved to Meld that he was someone the Knight could reasonably trust.

Amanogawa Kouki and the rest of the class may have meant well when they volunteered. But with circumstances as it was, it only meant they were doing it out of obligation, being forced to so to speak. But this boy refused, flat out just because he didn't want to, despite how he would appear to his fellows. He knew he could trust Yamamoto to think selfishly. Therefore, he knew Yamamoto was thinking for himself.

"Alright. I'll go. But on one condition." Meld nodded and had the boy continue. "I'll be dismissed early and not have to participate in the whole training session. I still have my research to continue as well as an appointment with Lady Liliana-sama."

Meld knew of this appointment. From what he had gathered, the Princess herself wished to meet with Yamamoto, or so the story from the maids goes. As a Knight, he had no business in intervening with such affairs, so this was fine. Even the other reason of having to research early was commendable so Meld assented.

He had heard from the guards and the librarian that Yamamoto was a diligent student capable of learning from simply reading the material on his own. If he _had_ such talent, then it wouldn't be right to deprive him of the time to utilize it for his own commendable goals.

Just then, he noticed Yamamoto subtly glancing around.

"Is something the matter?" Meld asked.

"No, not really. Just that I've been having this strange feeling of being watched since yesterday."

Yamamoto stopped his searching, only for is eyes to be directed in the direction of the door behind him. He didn't look or face the direction, but rather signaled for Meld to do so in his steed.

He noticed someone disappearing behind the cracks of the door. The observer was making a run for it. He was about to chase after and call for the guards about a spy on the loose, but Yamamoto's calm voice stopped him in his tracks.

"No need for alarm, Meld. Let it be. They've done nothing wrong other than observe me all morning. As it doesn't affect me in anyway. Causing a ruckus would be pointless."

The Knight sat back down and looked at the boy's calm yet contemplative gaze at his own plate.

"You have an idea who could be so keen on observing you?"

"Oh, I do. Just that confronting them about it would be _more trouble than it's worth_."

The implication was not lost on the adult. The boy's words would have just been indifference had it not been for the serious look in his eyes. They spoke of something deeper, more of a conspiracy than just mere trouble.

And he didn't want to involve Meld. At least, for now.

This brought out more of Meld's respect for someone younger than himself.

"If you need help, just call me or my men." It wouldn't do to just let this child, no, this young man be. As a responsible adult, he should at least extend a helping hand. "Your troubles won't disappear, but as someone who's country has wronged you and your associates so, it is my duty to keep you all safe, regardless whether you fight or not."

"I appreciate the offer then," the young man replied with a nod and a kind smile. "But this is getting to dreary for me. We have the time, and it's still too early. What else do you want to talk about until the rest of my classmates awake?"

Meld didn't think Yamamoto would change the topic just like that, but then again, he was just a kid. Having something weigh on a child's mind too long wasn't a good thing. It was better to know he had someone to back him up then move on.

"Well, I heard your world is more advanced than Tortus. Would you mind sharing some aspects they are so?"

Before replying, the young man looked around the place. There wasn't much to look at. The soldier's barracks' mess hall was, plain and simple, several long tables arranged vertically in a spacious stone room with two entrances, a few skylights and a window to the kitchen were the day's designated cook was handing out meals.

Looking at the food and grinning slightly, Yamamoto began to talk about his world's rationing system. Meld was surprised at how people in educational institutions would sometimes subject their pupils to the same treatment as soldiers, but after a brief explanation, Yamamoto cleared it up that such a system was more efficient than having to cook for each individual separately.

When he got to how the modern military did theirs, Meld almost lost it when he heard of the preservation methods used to keep rations available for months to even years at a time, yet still keep the flavors of noble food and the right nutrition required by a soldier.

This went on for a while. During that time, the observer resumed their stalking. Unaware that both had already noticed but chose to just ignore it instead.

* * *

"So we're learning magic today, huh?"

Ryutarou stretched his arms behind his head as an early morning workout. He and the rest of the class proceeded on their daily route to the soldier's barracks to have their breakfast. They would have had it in the palace's grand hall but Meld's insistence and their training warned them that eating the hearty meals of noblemen would soon end up out of their mouths rather than in their stomachs.

"Isn't it just a waste compared to more physical training?"

Not everyone thought so.

"Muscle brain."

"Hah?!"

"Shizuku-chan, stop being rude. Ryutarou-kun, we shouldn't say anything until we've heard what Meld-san has to say. It might be important to getting stronger," Seeking cooperation from everyone, the class angel decided to ask her childhood friend. "Don't you think so, Kouki-kun?"

"…"

"Kouki-kun?"

"Hm? What is it Kaori?"

"… nothing…"

Flattened at being ignored, Shizuku had to rub the girl on her head while Ryutarou looked to his best pal. Of the class, these usual four were talking in their own little group, being given a wide berth from the rest. So anything they might have to say wasn't really heard by the rest.

"You alright Kouki? You seem down."

"I'm fine." Contrary to his words, his usual confident and upbeat expression was absent. Instead, Kouki was looking deflated. "Just thinking about something."

"Yamamoto?"

"It's Yamamoto, isn't it?"

"Yamamoto-kun, right?"

"Eh?" shocked at the simultaneous guesses, Kouki couldn't stop his face from contorting in shock. "How did you all know?"

"You've been down ever since he started ignoring you like three days ago."

"Every time we were all taking a break, you were asking the others if they'd seen Yamamoto around."

"When we're eating dinner with the king and everyone else, you always seem to be looking for Yamamoto-kun if he was in his seat."

All three voiced their individual opinion. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, Ryutarou's guess pointed out that Kouki had been having this dilemma earlier than the two girls could notice. As expected of the best friend.

"You're not going homo are you?"

"Shizuku?! Wha-what're you saying?!"

"Shizuku-chan, you shouldn't say stuff like that!"

"Kaori…"

"If Kouki-kun's going to come out of the closet, it's none of our business. We should leave him to it."

"Kaori?!"

"Kaori, you're so adorable. Mm. You're right. Sorry for speaking out of your preferences, Kouki."

"Shizuku?!"

"… Well… as your best friend… I can't say I won't support you… er… good luck, Kouki."

"RYUTAROU?!"

"Pffft…"

"Heheheh…"

"Hahahah…"

With the completely random question, Yaegashi Shizuku threw off her childhood friend's focus into disarray. This was added on by her best friend's follow-up remarks as well as Ryutarou's astonishing support of the idea. Really, friends were amazing. Sometimes, they were worth more to you than everything else. Other times, they were as embarrassing as a misleading photo.

"Then, for real this time." After they were all done having their fun, they decided to get back to the main issue at hand with Shizuku pulling their reins. "Why're you looking around for Yamamoto if you're not going homo?"

"I told you, it's not like that." Kouki had a hand to his forehead while his expression turned from exasperation to frustration. "I was just wondering why Yamamoto wouldn't want to join us in training so we could fight the devils."

"Stupid Kouki," Shizuku instantly barbed at his answer.

"Eh?"

"He already told us that, remember?" Shizuku was speaking about the day they were summoned as well as the other day when he left for the Library. When Yamamoto declared he would find another way to return home and him proving his commitment by beginning his research. "Did you seriously forget about it? Or did you just not listen again?"

Kouki grit his teeth. It was more that he couldn't accept the reason than he didn't hear it. He knew it. All three of his closest friends knew it. They just chose to stay quiet about it as they didn't see Yamamoto doing what he could as a problem. Only Kouki did.

"Tell us again, Kouki. Honestly, this time." Shizuku looked into the eyes of her childhood friend. "Why are you looking for Yamamoto?"

Having grown up together from a young age, she had grown used to this stubborn side of Kouki. The side that chose to absolutely stay the same. The side that always thought what he was doing was right. The only flaw she ever saw in the so-called 'perfect boy'.

"I wanted to have a little talk with him. I want to convince him to join us fight for this world's sake."

Shizuku could only stare at the guy's face with plain indifference. Had it been any other girl besides her and Kaori, they might've swooned at the nobility of the response and chosen to support him through and through. But Shizuku wasn't like that. No, she chose to ask the difficult questions.

"Then, what're you gonna do if he still says 'no'?"

"Eh?" By his response, he looked like he didn't expect to be denied. This only deepened the sigh Shizuku held within. "Then, I'll… I'll…"

"You'll what? You'll _force_ him into helping us? Is that what the _Hero_ thinks is right?"

"Force?! No! I-I just… But what about the people of Tortus? Is it wrong to save them? Shouldn't we do the right thing and save the innocent people from the devils?"

"Haaah," Shizuku finally released the sigh she was holding in.

Kouki was finding excuses and not answering her question, again. This wasn't the first time. Before he became popular, before when his grandfather had just died, he swore to her that he would always do what was right.

It was the typical setup for a romantic subplot. But Shizuku, even back then, had always suppressed her girlish side and chose to adopt a more pragmatic persona she had kept using up till this day. She then asked a similar question before.

'What exactly did you have to do to be _right_?'

She didn't remember his exact response anymore. It happened quite a while back. But she was sure he just asked something similar to what he had just responded with.

'Shouldn't we do the _right thing_?'

Or something like that.

Shizuku shook her head in disappointment. Even after being transported to another world like one of those light novels, Kouki still retained that stupid mindset. Shizuku wanted to scream at him, to make him understand. But she knew, no matter what she did or wanted him to think, he would just shake his head and say, 'That's wrong, Shizuku'.

The major flaw in her childhood friend that she hated so much.

He was always right. Even when he was wrong, he was still right. And he would never think he was wrong. Even with all the evidence you'd pile up in his face, he would just shrug it off.

And he didn't even mean to do it. All his actions were done with good intentions.

As one of his closest friends, she had taken it upon herself to apologize to everyone he had wronged by mistake. Nagumo was a big example. She always apologized for both Kaori and Kouki's sakes as they only mean well to help or advice Nagumo, but whatever they did only seemed to burden the guy more. Shizuku understood that whatever she would say to them, Kouki especially, would fall on deaf ears.

Maybe Kaori would understand, but then it would be the same as Shizuku telling her best friend that she couldn't pursue her love interest. She couldn't do that either. She couldn't live with the guilt and pain that would bring to Kaori.

Ryutarou wouldn't even be able to help because he was a muscle brain.

"Kouki's right." Case and point, the dumb lug was smashing his fist to a palm to show his enthusiasm. "Since we were summoned, we need to take on the devils."

'Thanks for nothing, Bakatarou,' her teeth were making grinding noises, but neither boys noticed.

"Thanks, Ryutarou," the idiot nodded in response before Kouki turned back to her. "I don't know what I'll do, Shizuku, but I'll make sure Yamamoto sees my point. Then, we can all end this war and go home."

Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He was ignoring the point once more. Somehow, Shizuku wondered why she even put up with the boy's constant persistence of being correct. He was a paragon of justice, sure.

But he couldn't even find the justice behind other people's choices.

What was the point in arguing with someone like that?

_Then again, when did I stop trying to change his mind?_

It was another difficult question. One meant for herself.

There was a time when she tried to clarify Kouki's purpose in life. 'To be a paragon of justice' was too vague when the guy wouldn't specify _what_ kind of justice it was. The end result being a lot of misunderstandings and people either seeing Kouki as an awesome guy or a really arrogant prick.

He was her friend. But when did she choose to start apologizing for his sake rather than sternly explain to him the consequences of his actions?

"Maa, maa, no need to make such a dreary face, Shizuku-chan," Kaori, the slight airhead with a kind soul moved to comfort her best friend. If Shizuku was yuri, she would never let Nagumo have her. "We're here now. Let's just enjoy our meal, okay?"

"Mm."

Shizuku simply nodded. They had arrived. Maybe it was her hunger that was causing it, but the more she thought about it, the more she felt guilty for Kouki's current state. It _was_ her fault, in a way. And she hasn't done anything to remedy that.

_Some_ friend _you are._

She wallowed in her silence until she bumped into Kaori's back.

"Eh, Kaori?" she noticed not just her best friend, but the rest of the class was cluttering at the barrack's cafeteria's entrance. "What's everyone waiting for?"

Kaori shook her own head as if to say even she didn't know.

Being one of the taller girls, Shizuku only had to tiptoe slightly to see a few classmates stopped at the entrance and whispering to themselves. A bit to the fore, she could see Aiko-chan-sensei struggling to get one their attention as she asked what's the holdup about.

"Everyone, why aren't you going in? We still need to be ready for— YAMAMOTO-KUN!"

No sooner had she reached there and peeked into the hall at what they were staring at did she start her tirade of the angry, but adorable, teacher and vanished into the hall.

"Yama-? Everyone, excuse me!"

Hearing the name, even Kouki decided to get in on the action. The class parted at his words as Shizuku and the other two followed after their friend. When they got to the front and into the hall, they saw the transfer student being scolded by the little teacher.

"Mou, you had sensei worried when I asked one of the maids where you were when you never showed up at all yesterday and she told me you were resting in your room exhausted! What were you thinking, trying to overwork yourself? We haven't seen much of you since we got here! You almost gave sensei a heart attack! What do you have to say for yourself? Well?!"

It was quite the thing, seeing such a little person with all that anger stuffed inside to come bursting out. Though Shizuku and the rest respected their teacher, they still found it cute for her to act like such a child. Even though she was trying her hardest to look like an adult, it could only be seen as a temper tantrum.

"My apologies, Hatayama-sensei." Yamamoto Eichirou, however, was an outlier to their group and, instead of treating her like a child, responded like a new hire being scolded by the manager by bowing a perfect ninety degrees. "I had overestimated myself and tried to learn as much as I could while forgetting to rest."

"Why would you do such a thing you silly boy? You know you're not in Earth anymore. Don't push yourself too much."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to find a way to get sensei safely back home as soon as possible."

Shizuku noticed how he used the term 'sensei' to refer to Ai-chan instead of 'the class' to refer to everyone. She _also_ noted how he said so with such a straight face that Ai-chan didn't so much as shy away, but instead, blushed at the implication while attempting to keep her composure.

"If that's all it is, then good. Just… just don't worry sensei too much, understand?"

"Thank you for your concern, Hatayama-sensei. I haven't been your student for long, but I'm grateful for your efforts to watch over this careless me. You really are an impressive instructor."

A bow, a smile, and maybe a wink. Such theatrics. Great performance. Much words. Shizuku could only watch as Ai-chan-sensei seemed to swoon at the praise. There was no romantics involved. Just that the little adult sorely appreciated being referred to as a proper teacher. But her actions were interpreted quite differently among the class.

"Uwah, transfer student is good."

"Nah, Ai-chan is just so precious."

"Grr, how dare he make a move on Ai-chan?!"

"Gambare, Ai-chan-sensei!"

Well, maybe 'quite' wasn't the term for it.

"Oh, I see everyone's up and ready." Meld, who had been sitting quietly across from Yamamoto suddenly stood up. "Please, have your breakfast first. I shall go and sort out the matter of your magic instructors. Eichirou, sorry for asking you to wait longer."

"It's no problem, Meld. I can wait," Yamamoto replied as he casually spoke to the Knight Commander. "Besides, I should report some of my findings to my teacher and also talk with a few of my friends."

"Then, I'll leave you to it." Before exiting the hall, Meld-san gave them an hour to be ready. "I'll send one of my men to pick you up later after I've gathered the court mages."

The rest of the class took their seats after grabbing a tray. They still hadn't gotten used to the soldier's rations, but they at least felt better after a workout compared to the first day when most of them were short of vomiting. Shizuku thought the flavoring was a bit too bland and the bread as hard as a brick, but she, like many of the others, made do by having it soaked in the soup for a while and saving it for last.

Sitting down with the other three, they positioned themselves close to the door. But the center of everyone's attention, the classmate they hadn't so much as heard from in two day, conveniently sat in the middle of the hall.

Looking around, everyone was looking at him strangely. Some like Hiyama were leering. Others had concerned looks, especially Ai-chan. But sitting across from her, Kouki was glancing over his shoulder with a serious but frustrated look. Like a hunter that found its prey but didn't know how to approach it.

"Kouki, are you sure you're not homo?"

"Shizuku!"

The words had him back to focusing on his meal. But she knew this was just a temporary fix. In due course, Kouki would confront Yamamoto. Not immediately as her words _may _have had an effect on him. But he will. He always pushes for what he wants. And soon, she might need to apologize for what he had to say.

Again.

* * *

"Yo, Eichin! Aren't you gonna eat? And what were you and Meld doing together?"

"I already did, Kentarou-kun." Eichirou replied politely to the rapid-fire questions. "I slept early last night. Woke up a bit too soon. Coincidentally, I met up with Meld who was also awake and he asked me to join him eat breakfast. I had the time, so I obliged."

"Hmm," Jugo who sat next to Kentarou, who took Meld's spot across Eichirou, laid down his tray. "So, what happened yesterday? Didn't think you were the type to tire yourself out."

"Well, I just had to verify something after I registered my Status Plate. I really forgot to take a break when I got too engrossed in the books. You wouldn't believe how many their Library has collected over the years."

"You've registered it? Can I see?"

Most people would flinch at the sudden but quiet voice popping out from behind Yamamoto, but the boy in question merely smiled and let Kousuke who appeared from his shadow to peek over his shoulder.

"If you can keep a secret," he waited for the boy to nod before bringing up the plate. "Status Open."

"… !"

For a moment, Endou found it difficult to read the plate. Yamamoto had a few fingers obscuring the skills section. But when he noted that they were not as notable as the class section, his eyes widened. True to his word, he kept silent for Yamamoto's sake.

"What's up? What did he get?"

Kousuke didn't respond as Eichirou tucked the artifact away into his coat pocket.

"It's a secret, Kentarou-kun."

"Eeehhh?"

Kentarou and Jugo who sat opposite the duo and couldn't see the plate's contents made disappointed faces as Yamamoto refused to share with a knowing grin. Well, Kentarou made the disappointed one, Jugo had a more understanding expression. Akin to his 'old man' face, the guy was mature enough to not pry.

"What do you mean by 'secret', Eichin? I wanna know too! Why does Kochin get to know but I don't?!"

"Prying is a no-no, Kentarou-kun." He maintained the smile but his eyes were teasing. "A gentleman should know when to stop, otherwise the ladies would think you the obsessive type."

"He's right, you know?" Sending the pouting Kentarou into a jump, another classmate casually joined the conversation while her friend stood awkwardly behind her. "Good morning, Yamamoto-kun."

Endou amusingly watched as the newcomer's presence threatened to expose Kentarou's red expression.

"Good morning to you as well, Tsuji Ayako-san, Yoshino Mao-san."

"Ayako's fine, y'know." The girl casually spoke and dropped the formalities. "We're all classmates here."

"Then, Ayako-san, likewise, call me Eichirou." Getting the introduction out of the way, Yamamoto addressed his first concern. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Seriously, is that really how you talk?" she asked, cringing slightly at the formality.

"I didn't grow up in Japan most of my life. The formalities are a habit I picked up when speaking English."

"Huh? You've been speaking English this whole time, Eichin?" interrupting like it was no one's business, Kentarou decided to ask the obvious. "I never noticed."

"Well, everyone here has the Language Comprehension skill. It would be surprising if you didn't understand me no matter what I said."

What he said was true. Kousuke never really noticed that the people of Tortus weren't speaking Japanese, but they were being understood all the time without difficulty.

"That aside, I wanted to ask, Eichirou-kun," Ayako sat next to Kentarou, much to the boy's shocking embarrassment. Sadly, or in his case fortunately, the girl didn't notice as Yoshino took her place next to her friend. "You said you were researching in the library, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Have you found anything?" she twiddled her fingers. She was nervous, or so Endou observed. "To get us back home, I mean."

Silence fell on their table and maybe the whole room as well. Everyone wanted to know but only she dared to ask. It was a type of false hope, one they dreamed of attaining but were scared of verifying. Yamamoto looked like he understood that. And his reply was straight and true.

"As of now, not yet." The temperature in the room dropped before he decided to spare some good news. "I've only had two days to go over a small fraction of the Library's collection. It would be impossible for me to have gone through it all in such a short amount of time."

"I see. Thanks." Ayako had disappointment painted on her face. She expected the answer, but still didn't like it. Yoshino had a hand to her best friend's back, even though she too was similarly depressed. "I guess going home really isn't that simple."

"Not to worry, Ayako-san," Eichirou spoke up, trying to brighten her day. "From what I've researched, magic isn't that hard to understand at all. I performed a few tests the other day and it's quite easy once you get the hang of it."

"Eh?"

"What're you on about, Eichin?"

Kousuke wasn't as surprised as the others. He and Hajime had already witnessed it with their own eyes. Had he not, he would be appalled.

"Well, you'll have to see it later then. I'm joining you all for the magic lectures today."

That brought a small reaction from everyone else. Glancing at Kouki's table, Kousuke noted how the guy seemed to stare hopefully at Eichirou. It was weird. He wasn't going to question it.

"Eh? Is that true, Yamamoto-kun?" appearing out of nowhere, Ai-chan-sensei sat down on Eichirou's other side, unaware of the weird looks she was being given by how close she was to the boy.

"Yes, Hatayama-sensei. I theorized that if magic got us here, we could use it to get us back," Yamamoto responded. "Since Meld told me about it, I figured I should learn more and a practical test should be what I need."

Just then, Yamamoto stopped, as if realizing something just now.

"Hey, Kousuke, have you seen Hajime? I thought he would be ecstatic at the thought of learning magic?"

"I guess he went to the Library instead." Kousuke merely shrugged as he responded. Even he didn't know why Nagumo was missing. Compared to the others, he seemed to be the one who would've been excited about the day's topic.

A few others seemed to think otherwise.

"Heh, maybe he chickened out."

"Figures. That weakling's too weak to even want to try."

Distasteful comments came from Hiyama's table. The sickened look he was being given by a few others, notably Shirasaki and Yaegashi, and the disproving ones from Ayako and Ai-chan didn't seem to bother them.

"Ara ara, I didn't think they would have puppies in Tortus." Then there was the balls of steel Eichirou who's words caught everyone off guard. "Don't you think small pups are adorable, Kentarou-kun?"

"Eh? Ah, yeah, but… Eh? What's this about dogs?"

"Well, when you think of pups, you'd look at them as adorable little things with no knowledge of the world."

"Uh, Eichin, what's your point?" Kentarou asked what everyone in the room was thinking.

"Oh nothing really," his smirk was one of being in the know to a small joke. "Just that pups are also known more for their adorable little barks than the weak little bites. I mean, they're cute and all. But if no one puts them in their place, that's all they'll grow up to be. All bark and no bite. Then they're no longer cute. Just a pack of mindless mutts who can only squeak about all their problems."

"Hah?!" Hiyama and company were all getting up from their seats, expecting a fight.

"Ara, the barking mutt got louder."

"Wanna say that to my face, hah? Yamamoto?"

"Did you say something, Kousuke-kun?"

"No, I didn't."

"Hmm, strange. Must be a dog or something. My bad."

"Don't ignore me!"

"ENOUGH!" stepping up in her full capacity as teacher, no matter how short she was, Ai-chan tried to calm down the situation. "That's enough from both of you. Hiyama-kun, finish your meal. Yamamoto-kun, stop antagonizing your classmates."

"I apologize, Hatayama-sensei," Yamamoto was once again up and bowing before her. "However, if you think about it, someone I'm not friends with is insulting a friend who is not present. I'm sorry for my attitude, but if you expect me to not react, you will be sorely disappointed."

"I understand how you feel, but now is not the time to be bickering between classmates. We shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves while we aren't even in our own world."

Eichirou bowed once more to the teacher, but he refused to even acknowledge Hiyama. Kousuke glanced over to their group. All four were glaring at his back. Eichirou, on the other hand, had half of his face with a satisfied smirk. Of course, the half that was visible to Ai-chan-sensei was passive and expressionless. It was a creepy thing to see.

Time passed and after Ai-chan finished scolding the others for their rude comments and getting everyone to finish up, the normal atmosphere returned and the class resumed what they normally talked about. No one except the Four Assholes of course. They maintained their glares on Eichirou's back.

"What are you trying to pull?" Kousuke decided to ask. He felt something off about Eichirou's behavior. The guy was the type to accommodate another when spoken to. This was the first time he saw someone talk in his own pace and flat-out ignore another just a second after an insinuated insult. It was as if he was _trying_ to piss them off rather than simply defending Hajime.

"Oh nothing." The smirk had now vanished, replaced by his default friendly expression. Th sudden swap strangely sent chills down Endou's spine. "I was just wondering what I should do later. Lady Liliana and I will be having tea again during my break time from research."

The change in topic surged throughout the whole class. Gossips were passed around. Some about how Ai-chan-sensei was playing second fiddle to the Princess. When asked why he was to spend time with her, he merely responds with:

"Lady Liliana was interested about our world, so she decided to meet with me to satiate her curiosity."

Those choice of words sent everyone's, in this case the girl's, into rumor-pumping overdrive. Ayako wasn't helping as she was one of the more inquisitive of the group, pelting Eichirou with question after question. Ai-chan was left to suffer the teasing and sympathy of the others.

Soon enough, they all forgot about the argument.

They finished their breakfast just as Meld's soldier, the same one to guide himself and Hajime to the library just the other day, came in to guide the students towards a large hall adjacent to the training grounds. Passing by the area, they noted that there were several strawmen stood upright in the field. Kousuke and the rest thought they were to be used as target practice.

Upon their arrival, they were greeted by several men and women, each wearing shawls and robes. Some carried books on their person while others had sticks and staffs. There were also several servants of the palace in attendance, carrying several stacks of parchment, ink, quills, and multiple copies of the same books. Several bundled rods with differently shaped heads were tended to by other maids. One of them, Kousuke recognized, was the maid who was assigned to Eichirou. Iselda, he remembered.

"Good day to you, Apostles-sama," greeting them was what seemed to be the eldest of the robed men, wearing robes fit for a scholar while holding onto a stave with differently colored ornaments. "I am the Court Mage Break Senec. It will be a pleasure to train you all in the art of magic."

"I understand most of you have not the knowledge for the basics. In light of this, we have brought several of our most capable magicians to assist you in your lesson today."

Each of them bowed to the class in turn. It reminded Kousuke of their first day, just after being summoned, with the priests and Ishtar. Now that he thought about it, their bows were cold and felt tired. These people, however, looked to the class with reverence and expectation.

Now he understood Eichirou's words at the library the other day a bit more.

The Church was using them. The people of Tortus was desperate for their help. In turn, the former was willing to kidnap children, the latter had begun to stoop low enough to beg.

Kousuke's brow scrunched at the thought.

"As there are so many of you, we will be dividing you into groups and assigning each one instructor. Pease, group yourselves into four persons per group. After you've understood the general idea of how to perform magic, the maids will give you some tools and utensils to aid you."

Kentarou nudged both Jugo and Eichirou at the instructions while Eichirou just glanced towards him. The fact that Kentarou accidentally forgot about him again was harsh but normal, but with Eichirou there to find him, it seemed a bit relieving. Kousuke was grateful for it.

Everyone started grouping up. The girls mostly kept to themselves with a few exceptions like Kouki's group of two boys and girls each. Break-san approached theirs, saying he was given instructions by the king to do all he could to assist the Hero's growth.

Typical of the Hero. He received all the attention. But unlike Meld's training which gave no particular favoritism, the mages all seemed to show their preferences. Hiyama's instructor seemed alright but didn't seem to enjoy being assigned to a group with some muscle-brained idiot. Tsuji's group of Taniguchi, Yoshino and Nakamura all seemed to get along with their female instructor who was, by far, the youngest.

"Good day to you, Apostles-sama." Approaching their group of four boys, an aged lady with a blue shawl over her graying head approached them. Her features told that she was once a beautiful girl and although past middle-aged, her posture was straight and true, giving the impression of a healthy lifestyle. In her arms were a simple staff and a thick tome with a few sheets inserted here and there. "My name is Tear and I shall be your instructor for today."

Greeting her back with a bow, the guys awaited her instruction. Well, except for Eichirou who was looking over the equipment and books pushed off to the side.

"We shall be discussing the basics and learning to draw magic circles and their different components." Tear-san continued. "After which, we will start drawing examples and then we will move on to using—? Excuse me, Apostle-sama?"

Kousuke turned to look over where she was staring at. Eichirou had pulled away from the group and was now fiddling with one of the staves while propping open a book. 'Magic Tools' was the title.

"Oh, please. Don't mind me." Eichirou nonchalantly replied as if nothing was wrong in what he was doing. "I've already read through all the basics yesterday at the Library. I've also used magic and experimented with a few components of the circles. The exception being these tools."

"Uhm, forgive me if I don't believe you, Apostle-sama," she stared at him awkwardly, unsure as what to do. Kousuke could tell this woman was not used to being interrupted nor was she often told to resume class by her student who wasn't even paying attention.

"Yamamoto Eichirou, Madam Tear-sama." He offered a most gracious bow. It would have been respectable if he wasn't breaking protocol right now. "Would you prefer it if I proved myself?"

"Prove?" The old mage pondered for a second before sighing and nodding. "Very well, Apo—Yamamoto-sama. If you can prove that you can use basic magic, then I guess it will be alright for you to start studying on magic tools by yourself."

"I'm very grateful for your understanding."

Kousuke was too. Normally, when you interrupt a teacher, it was considered disrespectful and could land you in a heap of trouble. Tear-san seemed to be the moderate type, consideration before anger, as she seemed to be alright with the arrangement. Well, the small gleam in her eyes told Kousuke that she was more curious about his claims as well.

"Is there any spell or element you would request, as per the test?"

"Normally, I would ask a student to perform any magic they think is their best." Tear-san said so with a chuckle, probably reminiscing of her past students and their tests. "Seeing as you seem confident with your knowledge, I shall leave the choice to you, Yamamoto-sama."

"Very well," he nodded. "Iselda-san, please hand me some parchment, an inkwell and a quill."

The maid nodded and immediately gave him the utensils. Soon enough he was drawing on each of the parchments with different circles apiece. All the while, the mage Tear observed his actions, neither commenting nor drawing away from his movements. She merely observed. Soon enough, the other instructors took notice with a few, as well as their assigned groups, stopping to watch.

Soon, he had five different circles arrayed before him in a row. One remaining parchment was crumpled next to him. It was then that Tear-san decided to ask.

"Yamamoto-sama, what is it exactly that you will demonstrate?"

"Different spells that I've formed from my studying from the library, Tear-sama. I shall demonstrate them simultaneously."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" The sounds of an elderly man laughing burst from the center of the hall, garnering the attention of those present. "Forgive me Apostle-sama. But in all my years of being a Court Mage, I have never heard of a magician invoking several spells all at once."

"Is it not possible, Break-san?" Kouki chose to ask.

"My dear Hero-sama," the pandering old mage replied. "Magic is performed with the caster as a source of mana, a magic circle or magic tool as a medium, and the spell cast as the result. It would be hard to focus on activating multiple spells at the same time even for someone of your caliber."

"Since the mana to power the spells would be split among multiple targets at once." Kouki stated the obvious.

The other mages nodded at this, reinforcing the fact that what Eichirou was attempting to do was naught but childish fantasy. The class started whispering about it. Hiyama and his posse seemed to gloat. As if to call Eichirou a 'show-off'.

"Well, what you say that can't be done is none of my concern," Eichirou simply shrugged and ignored them all. "Tear-sama, I shall start the demonstration. If you would all please take a step back."

The only mage to not ridicule him did as requested. Kousuke pulled Iselda out of the way, surprising the girl but only for a moment, while Jugo did the same with Kentarou. All eyes were now on Eichirou as Break continued to chuckle behind the boy's back.

He had arrayed the five parchment pieces on the floor in a row with himself at the head of one. The balled-up crumpled piece was in right hand. Raising his left and aiming for the other pages on the floor, he breathed deeply, paused, then spoke clearly.

_"Raise the pillars into the sky. Sound thy fury at the first sign of invaders. Strike, Blow, Blast, Burn, Rend, as I instruct thee, Five Towers."_

Nothing happened. No light show, no glowing, not even the wind. But before the elderly mage and the other classmates could start mocking him, he raised his other hand, the ball crumpled within and added more.

_"Cover the earth with great wings. Reveal the magic in the air. Scatter, as I command thee, Mana Fog."_

Rolling the non-reacting ball in his palms, he spoke the final line.

_"Five times, shield this fragile soul. Protect its path straight and true. Hold Firm, as I implore thee, Pentashell"_

With that, he was done. In finishing the words, Eichirou tossed the crumpled ball towards the five pieces of paper.

What happened next shocked everyone. Those in proximity, maybe quite literally. Those in disbelief, Kousuke would like to think they were probably both.

DAN

A pillar of lightning erupted from the first page as soon as the thrown ball flew above it, striking the paper sphere but not causing any damage. It flew above the first and over the second.

GON

A pillar of earth grew from the floor, knocking the paper back up and on. Again, no damage. The third erupted next.

FIZZ

A gout of water struck the ball, slowing it into a roll but allowing it to hop on forward. Once more, the ball was not harmed or even drenched. Reaching the fourth, a great heat surged forth.

BOOSH

A column of flame gushed out, enveloping the paper ball in a mini-fire cyclone. Yet again, not a scratch to the paper. The final page remained.

WHOOOOOOOOOWL

A real live tornado the size of a person burst forth and slammed into the ball. Visibly, the ball held. Audibly, the sound of blades striking glass and the glass shattering rang in everyone's ears.

Then, the paper ball uncrumpled itself and spread out. The sixth circle imprinted within shone then exploded with light.

WOOOOOSH

A cloud of smoke erupted from the center of the circle in the air. But unlike regular smoke, this one neither smelled of anything burning nor did it do much to obscure vision. Instead, once it came into contact with the five other parchments below, the previous pillars that had come and gone started to reappear in different colors.

Blue for the lightning pillar. Orange surrounded the earthen pillar still above ground. Verdant green for the waterspout that was now spluttering out. Crimson swirls for the fire cyclone. A silvery whorl with sharpened blades made the wind pillar. Above the pillars, a small golden trail of the paper ball was traced along its bouncing path, each bounce accentuated by fragments of shattering light before culminating into the shattered star where the fog came from.

Kousuke noted, however, that there was a faint yet thin violet trail coming from each page, even the crumbled one, that traced itself back to Eichirou's hands.

"No way…"

"That's… impossible…"

"How…? How can this be?!"

The mages all had different reactions. The Court Mage himself was stunned speechless. But only one reaction was given any response.

"It's… … … beautiful."

"Such praise is undeserved, Tear-sama." Eichirou simply bowed as if to end his performance. "With a bit of practice, anyone can accomplish this feat. Given they have the mana capacity, of course."

He smiled as a performer would at the end of the demonstration. Had this been a circus show, a few in their crowd would have cried for an encore. Tear-san herself just stared in awe of the beautiful colors.

Kousuke too simply stared, amused. Before he noticed, he was clapping an applause. Iselda the maid joined, or maybe to her, started her own. Soon, everyone was doing so. The exception being, as expected, the Four Assholes who were gaping with spite at the spectacle.

"Now, as I have proved myself, I believe I am now permitted to study with magic tools?"

"Eh? Ah, that's right." Tear-san looked surprised. It was as if she had forgotten the reason for the demonstration in the first place. "You are free to do as you wish. There are targets in the field if you will be practicing with long range magic and targeted spells."

"I thank you for your judgment."

Eichirou, content with his freedom, took a stave and a book with him. Just as he was about to leave, however.

"WAIT!" The old Break had broken from his stupor to shout out. "How? How were you able to do all that?! The simultaneous casting? The high-level wind attribute magic, lightning? Tell me! I MUST KNOW!"

He very nearly tossed Kouki aside as he tripped on his robes trying to get as close as possible to Eichirou. If it wasn't for Kouki reacting accordingly and catching the old coot before his face hit the floor, he'd probably have broken his back or nose.

"Senec-sama," but Eichirou didn't flinch, instead he smiled. Mockingly. "If you would like me to elaborate on my circles, I suggest you finish instructing the Hero and his group first. It wouldn't do for any of us to disobey the king's orders and I'm sure we will have the time to discuss it later. _When you're free_. Now, please excuse me. I do not wish to interrupt anymore of your lectures."

With that, he made his exit. Iselda followed him closely with a few more utensils in hand as well as the sheets he used for the demonstration.

"An amazing display," Tear-san nodded to the fading mana residue of the five pillars. "To think that there was a mage who could cast multiple spells and not suffer the backlash of insufficient mana requirements."

"It's not completely impossible, right?" Kentarou meekly inquired. "I mean, Eichin did it. Right?"

He looked to Jugo who also shrugged. Kousuke simply shrugged to himself. Had he known at first that such a thing was impossible, maybe he would be surprised. But magic was new to him and all the others. To say he was impressed with a magic show was nothing short of the obvious. But the mages of Tortus were beyond impressed. They were astounded. To them, Eichirou probably found an answer to a question that plagued them for centuries or more.

Yamamoto Eichirou was a surprising enigma. But if there was one thing Kousuke understood, it was that Eichirou was driven and he would stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

He said he wanted to find a way home. He took the opportunity to join this lecture, and yet he was off doing his own advanced studies. He had taken initiative to find another way back. Doing so denied the Pope or the King to dictate his actions. And instead he plays as the servant of another god wanting to return, willingly lying to a central authority of power, one that could possibly erase him.

If anything, Eichirou was amazing in his own right. Kousuke respected him for it. And for not treating him like air.

The latter thing is irrelevant but the point still stands.

Yamamoto Eichirou was amazing.

'I wonder what goes on in that guy's head?' thought Kousuke.

* * *

_HOLY FUCKING SHIT, IT FUCKING WORKED?! OH MY GOD, I'M FUCKING SAVED!_

I internally screamed for my success but kept the composed façade on. If Iselda wasn't following me to the training grounds' open area, I would've been jumping in joy!

Tear had only asked me to perform my best magic, but I seriously doubt a simple Candlelight spell would pass as impressive. I mean, sure, the librarian was amazed, but these people were mages. MAGES. Their entire profession revolved around magic! If I had used Candlelight, no matter how bright, it would be the same as a toddler flipping a switch and saying, 'I have the POWER!'.

Cute, but no.

I needed to impress. Therefore I needed something jaw-dropping. Luckily, I found that theory the day before. The one on Magic Circle's Structural Components. TL;DR: Magic results from the circles. Circles are like math or science equations. Equations have components. Change or add components to make or change the magic. Use a bit of imagination to 'see' it working. Aaaaaaand it works! Tada. End of story.

Well, not really.

Had it not been for my desperation yesterday, I wouldn't have thought to use my skill while practicing magic.

"Here will be fine, Iselda-san." I stopped a few meters before one of the targets and took the items off the maid. "Could you please find me a stool to set this down while I work?"

"A stool, is it?" The girl bowed and answered as per the norm. "Understood, Yamamoto-sama."

As soon as she left, I uttered the small phrase.

_"Appraisal, magic stave."_

My vision blurred slightly before focusing again. But this time, when I gazed at the stave in my hand, a feeling in my mind pulsed repeatedly. Information. Data itself came into my mind as I looked at the stave. Numbers, uses, the magic spell engraved in its end. All that jazz was jammed into my skull. Not painfully or soothingly, just pushed itself in there. Like I had read a pamphlet about this particular stave but my 'reading' said pamphlet caused the words to just enter my head.

Quite invasive as I didn't necessarily want to learn _everything_ about it, but ok.

One hundred centimeters in length, about three feet and three inches. About one and a half centimeter in diameter. The material used was iron. Several scratches and dents resulting from mishandling or dropping the thing but still functional. Tempered by a Synergist that had help from another, a Magician, as the metal had a high mana retention to absorb some when expelled from the body. Basically a mini-mana battery.

The endpoint was that of a simple crystal green orb. Shaved magic crystal taken from a monster. A large one from the sea at that. The green color was because of the water spell engraved within.

The red and silver filigree were crushed magic crystals imbued with wind and fire magic. One was from a reptilian that was constantly immolated, the other from a flying one with petrification magic. Used to increase affinity with related spells. In short, something used to temporarily raise the aptitude to said magics.

The invasive feeling dissipated but the information remained. Now I knew more about the stave than I did my own clothes.

Quite creepy indeed.

But I wasn't done. To the guards stationed around the place, I was just a guy checking out the new staff. To me, I was having my mind fucked by a skill implanted in my head by a jerk wad of a kidnapper god. Grimacing at the thought, I repeated muttering but changed my target.

_"Appraisal, magic stave, water spell circle, circle components."_

This one was trickier as well as the key to my making the demonstration possible. I did it with one of my own drawn circles before, but all it gave me was a screenshot of the damn circle in my head. I needed to specify where, what, and which part. A pain in the ass, sure. But at least I finally got it right. Had I known it needed to be super specific before I started testing it, I would have stopped at the fiftieth attempt. God my head felt like mom's camera. The same goddamn formation of the same goddamn thing with fifty or so duplicates.

'For backups,' she says. Dammit, mom! That is NOT how it works. Anyway, the 'components' bit had to be noted down in detail. Simply knowing them wasn't enough. To activate a multi-elemental spell simultaneously from five different points, I had to also know the mana's entry points, the spell's exit points, the spell's resulting shapes, dimensions and what not. Incidentally, the information was all in a language that the Language Comprehension skill auto translated. The words for 'wind magic' was a root word for 'lightning'. I don't know what the old coot was on about when he said that it was a higher-level version. Wasn't it just a separate element?

Most importantly, the mana requirement factor. No wonder they think it's impossible, they never checked how much mana a spell consumed in _a given amount of time_. Sure, you could manually regulate it without altering the circle, but that requires one to have the Mana Manipulation skill to pull off perfectly. And only devils and monsters had that according to the books.

Why didn't anyone think to regulate it through the spell circle? Don't fucking know. Maybe they thought it would be stupid to change the spell even further. Maybe it was sacrilegious to do so as it violated the Church's views of what Ehito's gift was supposed to be used for. Maybe the upper class just doesn't want to make it easier for the lower class to use magic to keep the monopoly on magic studies. Who fucking knows?

But more importantly, I found the loophole and its essential component factors. All of that had to be in my head. And the Appraisal skill was the most useful in that regard.

As I expected. This skill was too dangerous for any book to just detail down on how to use. If my 'maybe's are correct, this could either cause a rift between the Church and the magic community or force the lower classes to overthrow the upper ones through revolutionizing the use of magic.

Ho Lee Shit…

.

.

.

Better keep quiet about it then… If a revolution occurs, something like the Enlightenment Period, or some civil war to overthrow the monarchy, I might lose access to the Great Library.

.

.

.

I should leave introducing this concept for public knowledge to the monarchy.

.

.

.

Yeah. Good idea. Now, back to the magic circle.

The spell's attribute was, as expected, water. Huzzah. Moving on. Range was approximately ten meters. Mana cost was on the low side and is consumed at the moment of casting the spell. Form was the size of a dodgeball. So a 'water ball' spell. Harmless, only if the speed wasn't set to hundred and ten kilometers per hour!

DAFUQ IS THIS SHIT?

It's past the speed limit on a highway! Jumping on front of a truck moving as fast as 65 mph was dangerous enough. Compressing it into a ball and sending it flying at someone is pure lethality without the use of a blade. This shit could punch a hole through a brick wall.

The basic data from the spell had it set to explode on impact. So it was an impact spell made out of water, that was also moving at the speed of cars on a highway.

Yep, it's practically a cannonball. A fucking CANNONBALL!

And they're just gonna let children handle these sticks like it's a fucking prop?

"Yamamoto-sama, I have brought a stool as you requested."

"Thanks, Iselda-san." The maid had spoken behind me. I would have jumped, but I had been to dumbstruck by the staff's capabilities that I just didn't care and thanked her normally. I dropped the tome and parchment on the top of the stool and set it aside for now. I needed to see what the staff could do. "Please stand back a bit, Iselda-san. I'm going to test how to use this staff."

She did as she was told and took two steps back. This left her standing next to the stool and things while I stood ten or so meters away from a straw target dummy.

Let's see. The book says I can omit the chant and just command the spell. Raising the stave, I aimed the green orb tip towards the target.

_"Fly, as I command thee, Water Ball."_

The orb formed by drawing water from the air, or in this case, mana coalesced to form water midair and gathered at the point before the staff's tip. As soon as it formed, approximately a second after casting, the ball flew, shot out of an invisible cannon by an unseen force, the water ball struck the target and exploded on impact.

BSSHHHH

The strawman was nowhere to be seen. The straw and its wooden spine? Oh they were everywhere, scattered around the point of impact.

Welp, it's worse than a cannonball. It's like a fucking grenade launcher without the arc trajectory bullshit. Just cast and boom, pinata surprise!

Iselda, and the few guards posted around, were looking at the target's remains blasted into impunity. They had eyes that were the same as my previous thought, 'What the hell?!'. I agree. This thing was stupid and the Court Mage thinks it's safe to let kids handle it. Is there no Safety Regulations Protocol in this palace?

"Hm," I put the stave down on the stool and propped open the book. Thumbing through the pages, I found the one I was looking for on the magical engravings of tools. "Iselda-san, could you please ask one of the guards to—? Iselda-san?"

Still locked in place staring at the destruction my test caused, I tried standing before her and calling out once more. She very nearly jumped as well before speaking up.

"Uh, yes? What is it, Yamamoto-sama?" she said, looking flustered, at the same time, amazed.

"Could you please ask one of the guards to replace the training dummy?" She nodded but I didn't let her go just yet. "Also, please request if they could bring additional targets as well."

"Eh? Uhm," she looked towards the mess I had made then glanced back at me, then to the mess again and back. I apologize if you have to clean this up later internally, but I really need to test some things. "Understood, Yamamoto-sama."

As soon as she left, I non-verbally promised to help her clean up afterwards. It was my mess after all.

"Now, time to fix this spell."

I took an inkwell and a quill. With the quill's writing tip placed atop the green magic crystal, I began drawing a new circle. However, once I had finished, the circle began to sink into the crystal's surface as if it was actually water. It was done and I used my skill once again to confirm.

"Yamamoto-sama, we have brought the targets."

Right on time, Iselda and a soldier approached me, the maid carried one strawman which I took from her arms. It wouldn't do to burden her. Though she may be a spy, it would be prudent to act gentlemanly before her as I have done with so many others. I need to keep up the façade anyway. The man, however carried multiple targets in his arms while dragging a bundle more behind.

"Apostle-sama, should I set one up for you?" the soldier asked.

"Let's see." With the new spell I was testing, it should only need one. But I could try the other version with a wide range as well. "Let's set all of them in a row across from our current position."

"Eh?" the older man looked dumbfounded. "_All_ of them, you say?"

Apparently he didn't expect me to waste my targets all at once. I apologize for being wasteful, soldier-san. I promise to help clean up afterwards.

We soon had them lined up like a firing squad. Three rows, five in the fore and rear, four in the middle. A single target stood on the side, like an officer would when ordering a line infantry to fire a barrage in the movies.

"That should do it," I said. Now for the maybe fun part. It's a 'maybe' only because I didn't know if it would work. "Please stand back. A few meters more this time."

Iselda guided the man back several paces. They were farther than the stool this time. Good. Staff in hand and quill in the other, I pointed the staff forward towards the solo target.

_"Gush, as I command thee, Hose."_

FIZZ

The water spell I swapped for Water Ball erupted from the staff. A thin stream of water flew into the target, dousing it but not doing much to push it down. The spell soon ended with the gush dying down to s splutter and soon the only water left was the puddle that surrounded the target.

"Kind of anticlimactic," I turned to face the guard who spoke. Noticing me look, he immediately stuttered and followed up with. "Eh, ah, no offense, Apostle-sama, but I really don't think such a spell is useful for combat."

"No, you're right." It wasn't designed for that purpose in the first place, but at least he spoke his mind. A level-headed soldier, I see. "This was just me testing a theory."

I walked up towards the target. They might think I came closer to inspect it so they remained at a distance. But as I walked up to it, I also changed one of the magic circle's component values of 'pressure'. In mathematical terms, I included several zeros. Up close, I spoke silently.

_"Slice, as I command thee, Hydro Cutter."_

FI—

Whipping the staff up from my lower left to the upper right, I repeated the motion going from my lower right to the upper left in a cross-sword slice fashion.

—ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

THWACK THWOCK DOK

The three sections of the diced target fell to the sides while its implanted stump stood there, torso less. I repeated the spell and swung the stave diagonally at the other targets from my position. Five in the fore were separated from the stump, three of the middle bisected, three in the rear had their heads lopped clean off, one was partially beheaded. Only two remained untouched.

Ugh, this really is gruesome. Had this been weaponized in such a way by accident, no doubt someone would be incarcerated for magical manslaughter. Or maybe abetting one.

I reverted the spell back to water ball with its original components and returned, only to find the guard and the maid's jaws dropping to the floor. The guard especially had his hand pointing at the targets while his eyes were white in fear. At least, that's what I assumed it was. Well, who could blame him? That spell, if ever used on a human being, would be akin to being attacked without warning and left to die while screaming in pain. Only the lucky ones would die from a beheading, the rest would have to suffer the sight of their innards pouring out in—!

Noooooooooooooo! Stop, stop, stop!

Enough gore. The circle modification test is done. Time to move on.

I snapped the man out from his stupor and had him help Iselda and I clean up the mess. I really felt bad for ruining the targets. The Hydro Cutter even made a thin cut in the ground. I used a small earth spell to remedy that, but the damage was still visible from the mess. The wreckage of the water carnage was piled as neatly as possible nearby.

"Uwah! What the hell happened here?!"

I heard them before I saw them. Turning around, I found my friends approaching, along with the rest of the class following close behind. I noticed they were all dressed in their gears while a few were now equipped with new staffs and rods. Me in my Victorian-era-like coat with the Water Ball stave looked completely out of place now that I thought about it.

The class dispersed in the fields. A few here and there spared a look at my corner of ravaged strawmen and looked away immediately. Either they were pumped to test their own or did not want to associate with a show-off like me. Didn't bother me. What did though was the look of the mages, the old coot especially. They still had to tend to their students so none approached me.

I'm guessing that wouldn't last long if they were seriously wanting to pester me about it.

I locked eyes with the mage Tear as soon as I saw her, however. She was assessing the damages to the targets in the pile. From the water puddles to the clean slices, she must've been surprised. No such water spell with a cutting function exists in this world. Of course, it didn't in Earth either, but science was another story.

Kousuke and Jugo were also glancing at the damage, but they probably understood what I had done and were now looking at me weirdly. Like I was some great and talented magician. My eye twitched at that.

"Yo, Kentarou-kun," I greeted the dude who came running towards me with a gleam in his eyes. "How was the lecture?"

"A bit boring but okay." Wow, what an honest and rude thing to say before your instructor. At least Tear was distracted by the strawmen dummies. "I learned how to cast a spell at least. Check it out."

Kentarou carried a staff of his own. There was an orange crystal strapped to the end of the meter-and-a-half long stave. Orange filigree decorated the tip down to the handle. Earth spell and earth aptitude, is it? He was wearing robes with a similar orange theme. There was a magical air to them. Maybe he got them from the mages to assist in casting earth-based magic. He took a few paces away from me, pointed the staff to the floor a few feet away from himself, and dragged a line.

_"Break, as I command thee, Earth Split!"_

The ground split along the drawn line, revealing a small crevice while shaking the earth around it. Hm, had he used it near his foot, he would've lost it then and there. Smart, to keep it as far away as possible.

"What do you think?" he said, looking for praise. "Pretty amazing, right?"

Kousuke was examining his own rod, a red magic crystal adorned it, ignoring the eager Kentarou. Jugo on the other hand was smiling like a father proud of his son as he held his own wand. Funny how out of the four of us, an Assassin had a staff, the one looking like a Knight held a wand, the butler-looking me held a stave, but the only one who looked like a proper mage was childishly excited.

It just made me smile at the guy's enthusiasm. He was excited to play around with magic. He dressed the part and doing it safely to boot. I guess he deserved it for being able to learn fast. Or reinventing the stereotype. But maybe someone was against giving the guy praise.

"Being able to dig up the ground isn't really a skill you should be impressed about." Another came to boast her skills. "Protecting people with a barrier and being able to heal them is better, don't you think so, Eichirou-kun?"

"Ayako-san, is your specialty defensive magic then?" I asked the new arrival who was closely followed by her best friend Yoshino.

"Well, I _am_ a Priest." Her 'priestly' attire made her look more like a nun trying to run a marathon though. Shorts, shawl, and half a robe seemed a bit odd unless it was one of those cosplay things. "I can naturally use support-based magic, but I can also train myself to use other magics as well."

"So a support type with offensive capabilities, I see." I nodded at the flexibility. "But I don't see how that makes Kentarou-kun's magic worthless. I see a lot of flexibility in earth magic as well."

"Eh? Like how?"

Maybe another demonstration was in order. I could spare the time seeing as we've pretty much cleaned up most of the mess.

"Tear-sama, may I borrow Kentarou for a few minutes?"

The mage nodded, not even sparing me a second glance as she used her own tome to cast a smaller version of the Mana Fog spell to study the area. The mana tracing magic was useful in remaking certain magic spells reoccur visually, but the downside to it is that the spell to be found must have recently taken place for it to be visible. Mana disperses slowly, but it was incoherent like gas. Try finding mustard gas in a fart cloud. It was easier than that, but only marginally for a short window of time.

After showing Kentarou a few circles he might want to test, we decided on a few 'safer' ones. Rather than having him split the whole field in two, he _is_ a Geomancer now that he shared it with me so it was possible, we went with the basics. His class would omit most of the chanting and I also requested a few more targets.

"Alan-san," I called on the guard who assisted Iselda in bringing the strawmen victims. "Thanks for the help. You can return to your duties if you have them, or maybe take a break with Iselda-san. We can take it from here."

The guy had been dragged around by me to clean up then set up more targets. I really shouldn't take up more of his time or the young maid's.

"Not to worry, Yamamoto-sama. I am on break right now so all you need to do is call on me."

The smile on his face said he wasn't going anywhere and that I could count on him for more heavy lifting. Iselda similarly didn't budge. Really now? How hard working were these people? Was he really doing this out of the goodness of his heart? Was he interested in watching magic? I don't know. I like the guy's eager personality, but after that Hydro Cutter test, he had been looking at me with admiration beyond simple reverence.

Was the spell really that impressive?

Anyway, the targets were up and Kentarou was ready. Kousuke stood nearby to observe at a safe distance. Jugo did the same on my opposite side while shouting support like 'You can do it' and what not. Weird. It made me think of pops while Daiki and Hanami were anchoring a track meet during elementary. Pfft—! No, stop. He's a friend. Let's not laugh at his old man's face's expense. Tsuji and Yoshino stood a little way off with their instructor, a mage named Ruina who was conversing with Tear, and her two other groupmates, Taniguchi and Nakamura.

"Ready when you are, Ken-chan!"

_"Rise, as I command thee, Stone Wall!"_

Kousuke sounded off his start signal and Kentarou went to town with the targets. First, he summoned walls for each target, angling them differently and a few had roofs instead of walls using slanted slabs of earth. Then, he fired off boulders or raised spears to crush the defenses for each target. In the case of the roof-only ones, he launched a boulder by hitting it from below in two points: up and forward. When it was done, he cast magic again to raise multiple walls around each target. Catching his breath, he used one last spell to have each wall close in on their targets.

When it was done, the dummy strawmen were either crushed under intense weight or pierced by stone spears. Only a select few were safe from harm under their stone bunkers. Or maybe prison in some cases.

"So… hah… how about that… hah?" Kentarou was heaving slightly. Maybe the number of magic spells had drained him somewhat. I guess we chose too much to demo at a time. "Pretty amazing, right?"

"Well, it's not that impressive." Ayako stubbornly stated. Yoshino, along with Tear and Ruina, was applauding the display. A few of the classmates were as well as their instructors. The Old Coot Break looked absolutely livid that he wasn't right here, right now, to investigate my secret to casting so many spells with such varying degrees of result. "It's just roughhousing and all brawn. There's no degree of finesse and self-control."

"Haaah?" Kentarou didn't take kindly to the comment. "I made barriers that protected well against falling boulders"

"Boring. Anyone can hide behind a rock."

"I also made spears from the ground and can use spikes to trip people up. Can a Priest top that?"

"Pfft, to 'trip people he says.' Can throwing dirt around and making them fall help your friends? Can your mud be used to heal wounds? I doubt that they have Chinese remedies here." She smirked and teased. "Try learning some healing spells before you get someone dirty with your down-to-earth spells."

"Why—you?!"

It was an awkward scene. I knew about Kentarou's feelings for Ayako. But never did I think they were close enough to tease each other like this. It was strange for me, seeing them lash out at each other without a hint of embarrassment. Well, boys will be boys.

Even Daiki tried to show off only to accidentally insult the girl he liked during elementary. Hanami, trying to console the poor thing, had almost the exact features as her twin. She ended up being flustered about it as well, being mistaken for Daiki and all.

That was adorable. But I was getting off topic again.

"Humuhumu, is it just me or is it getting hot in here?" Taniguchi Suzu pretend-fanned herself while speaking with a teasing tone. "Get a room you two! We can't practice with you having a lover's quarrel out here."

"Suzu-chan, stop it." Nakamura Eri chimed in only to tease as well. "They can make a room for themselves using Nomura-kun's earth magic anyway."

"Wha—What the hell are you implying, Eri-chan?!"

"That's right, Nakamura! There's—There's nothing between us!"

"Pfft…"

"The hell's that for Gochin?!"

"No need to be so embarrassed, Ayako-chan."

"Eh? Mao-chan too?"

Yoshino just smiled as her best friend started turning red. Jugo, meanwhile was stifling his laughter. The two adult mages just watched and observed the children blunder about.

Was this what a typical group project would look like if we were back in class? I wondered to myself.

Jugo and Kousuke just watched from the sidelines along with me. We all knew it was just a slight argument. It would solve itself, no problem. Thankfully, that was all it amounted to.

Otherwise I wouldn't have noticed the strong wind and heat dangerously blowing in our direction.

"KENTAROU! STONE WALL! RIGHT SIDE!"

"Eh?!" He jumped at my words, but through sheer luck, or coincidence, he stopped arguing with the girl and slammed his rod into the ground. _"Rise, as I command thee, Stone Wall!"_

DON

"Eichirou? What's—?!"

SIK SIK SIK SIK

Kousuke noticed the Wind Blade and the Fire Ball a few moments after I did. Kentarou, on point with my instructions, had erected a wall next to himself, shielding Ayako from the blades and blast. Having lost her balance, Ayako fell into his embrace just as he caught her. The Stone Wall held as four Wind Blades struck. But with a glance, I noticed the cracks.

It wouldn't hold against the approaching Fire Ball. I raised my hand and blanked out for but a moment. My lips moved, but the words were not my own.

_"~Munio~"_

DAN WHOOM

An explosion rocked the area. I struggled with the ringing in my ears. Or was that the splitting headache.

"Everyone alright?"

Gathering my senses, I called out from behind the dust cloud. As the place cleared up, I found Alan protecting Iselda and the two mage instructors maintaining a barrier before Yoshino and the two other girls. Well, Tear was while Ruina was fumbling with her wand. Jugo had ducked down to the ground, making himself a smaller target as he could. Kousuke had his arms up to shield his face. Kentarou were still prone behind the wall but otherwise safe.

No one was hurt.

"Oh?! Sorry about that!" I turned to face the direction where the spells came from, headache gone as swiftly as it came. But it was replaced by something else. Anger. My eyes narrowed, but I didn't let my anger show as Hiyama and his posse stepped forward. "We were just practicing earlier. We accidentally slipped our aim. Our bad."

They apologized, but only half-heartedly. I didn't like that. And neither did the girls.

"Bakahiyama! Watch what you're doing! We would've been hurt if Nomura wasn't prepared!"

"Hey, we said it was an accident!"

A likely story, one they would persistently use. I stood across from them, with Kentarou and Ayako sat directly between us. They very nearly got caught in a problem of my own making. But then again, I wasn't the aggressor, was I?

"That's right. It was just a minor miss!"

"Besides, aren't you a Barrier Master, Taniguchi? Why didn't you put one up yourself?"

"Are you _all bark and no bite_?"

Oh ho? Oh ho ho ho?

.

.

.

So that's how you want to play assholes? Okay… Let's go.

"Why you little—?"

"That's enough from you, Hiyama-kun. Calm down, Suzu, he's not worth it."

"Yes, Taniguchi-san. Nakamura-san is right." I said clearly that even the other classmates who were just noticing the argument focused their attention towards me. "There's no need to lose our head over this. After all, it was just an accident." I glared intensely at the four pricks from behind my glasses but kept it as blank and expressionless as possible. "Isn't that right, Hiyama-kun?"

"Yeah," he gloated back, so sure of his victory. "That's right."

I noticed Kousuke balled his fist. Luckily, with Jugo just frowning from behind me and Kousuke being invisible as usual, Hiyama didn't think to look elsewhere.

"Well, that's fine then! No one was harmed so we can _all_ get back to our practicing!"

My cheery tone confused a lot of those in my immediate surroundings. The four pricks were slightly confused they couldn't get me to retaliate as well. But the rest, even Kouki's party went back to their practicing.

"Oh, by the way, Hiyama-kun?"

"What?"

"You guys should really practice your aim. It's one thing to say that you missed a shot by firing slightly higher than your target," I smirked slightly. "But I've never seen someone miss the strawman by shooting their own back before."

"Hah?" he snarled back. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He didn't notice. The other three did, however.

"Oy! Hiyama!"

"Your clothes, man! Your clothes!"

"Uwah! You're really smoking!"

How stupid must this guy be to not notice his own ass on fire?

True to my word, Hiyama's ass was on fire. His coat's tail to be precise but he could still feel the heat, so it counts.

"Eh? EEEEHHHHH?! OY, YOU IDIOTS! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT! PUUUT IIIT OOOUUUTTT!"

Ah, he finally noticed. A pity. And I so wanted to smell fried idiot for the first time in a while—! Oh, stop. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

"Guys, stop panicking," I raised my stave and aimed at their group. "Let me help you with that!_ Fly, as I command thee, Water Ball!_"

BSSSSSHHHHH

All four of the flustered boys were doused with Water Ball as soon as it hit Hiyama Daisuke in the ass. I had amplified the explosive power but reduced the spell's volume and speed. I essentially made it a water balloon. Oh ho. They were wet. And despite feeling the cold in the air, their expressions were seething.

'Hey, don't look at me like that,' I internally said. 'You wanted to bite. Expect a bite back, punk.'

"What's going on here?" Finally, Old Coot Break Senec stepped up along with Kouki and his group.

"Ah, Senec-sama," I took my formal persona. "We just had a little fire spell accident. Poor aiming and what not. But no need to worry. We have been trained in fire safety and have contained the situation."

I gestured over to the Stone Wall that Kentarou had brought up as well as the four wet noodles to reassure the elder. Burn marks and slashes were there but the wall stood tall and remained intact. Cracks were forming, but surprisingly, it held. Meanwhile, the wet pups shivered in the cold as they 'coldly' glared back at me, who addressed the old man with a smile.

"If it's all fine then very well. Carry on. But please exercise extreme caution next time, my dear Apostles." Old man Break didn't seem to notice anything wrong as he merely gave a slight scolding. "Magic is a great blessing when used correctly but also a dangerous tool if mishandled."

_Says the senile old man who hands kids literal fucking grenade launchers._

Then he leaves us alone, eagerly dragging Kouki's group back to resume their lesson. Maybe a little too eager. I'm guessing he really _did_ want to be over and done with the Hero's party so he could interrogate me about my magic. He was probably so preoccupied, he never noticed Hiyama's incredulous looks nor the fact that everyone was now laughing at the boy for setting himself on fire.

After being disgraced so, he and his wet posse, close but no cigar, scurried on away from us.

"Take care _next time_, Hiyama." I warned. "Wouldn't want _someone_ to actually get hurt due to carelessness!"

He glared at me. I smiled back. The boy retreated and everyone was relieved. Even Suzu who was about to go on another tirade let out a sigh. Glancing down, however, I spied two in their own little world.

"Well, at least there's a plus to this little incident."

The others all looked at me with disbelieving looks. Even the mages who could probably tell that I lit that ass using Kousuke's rod—

OKAY, PHRASING! —using Kousuke's wand— NOPE, STILL BAD! —using Kousuke's staff?, better!,

—looked at me with disappointed but curious eyes.

"Seriously, guys, if I have to explain the joke, it would be so lame."

"Just spit it out, Bakamoto!"

Impatient, childish Taniguchi couldn't take it anymore. And I earned a nickname too. Well, quaint but it was fine. I was on cloud-nine after getting a small payback after all.

"At least we found a new way for Kentarou-kun to use his down-to-earth magic." I made an obvious glance at the two in each other's arms, still lost in their own little world. "He made Ayako-san 'trip and fall' for him."

Needless to say, I got more than a kick in the gut from laughing. The tomboyish Ayako had decided a slap was needed as a bonus. Kentarou got one as well for 'being too close'. But I bet everyone else present, minus the two, would agree with me that the fire of youth was burning in the air.

But I intentionally lit a different fire entirely. I may have put out the wet dog's ass, but that didn't erase the fact that I baited him earlier and had just retaliated to his lashing out. What about this situation makes me the victim if I also pushed his buttons just so he could try to bite back?

I guess I'm not as careful and coolheaded as I think myself to be.

* * *

"Ugh," I released a heavy sigh as I once again walked down the almost empty corridors. I wasn't alone, of course as Iselda dutifully followed behind.

"Is something bothering you, Yamamoto-sama?"

"No. I'm just exhausted."

I massaged the bridge of my nose, understating the stress I was feeling. Although making fun of the 'maybe' couple was childishly fun, dealing with a persistent old man like Court Mage Break Senec was definitely something only nurses in retiree homes were capable of.

As soon as the briefing was over and everyone was given free time to train on their own while the mages observed, Break took that time to pester me incessantly. He just kept asking question after question that I just made an excuse that I had an appointment with the Princess and had to leave early to prepare _just_ to escape the old coot.

Had I not suspected that revealing my skill was dangerous, I would have just dumped him earlier by saying 'get an Appraisal skill then we'll talk'. The implication of that statement would be my downfall.

But then again, Hiyama was a possible one too.

If I failed to notice the 'accident', someone would've gotten hurt. Would've made sense of the target was just me. I _did_ piss him off earlier this morning. But it seemed he also harbored some animosity for the others. When I asked Kousuke if Hiyama had a bone to pick with anyone other than Hajime, he told me about the argument the punk had with the girls while I was away at the library with Lady Liliana and the defense the boys put up for my sake.

I was touched. They had only known me for a few hours, less than a day at most. These guys really were good people. Even Tsuji and Taniguchi. Taking the neutral ground and not judging me immediately wasn't much of a friendly gesture. But it did show that they weren't stupid enough to jump to conclusions. Well, not counting their assumptions about my relationship with the princess, but I digress.

Cleaning my glasses then replacing them back on my face, I contemplated my options with narrowed eyes.

Should I make friends with those girls?

Well, they already were, in a way. At least, Ayako had the decency to apologize for hitting me even though I was the one at fault and Suzu pretty much shared my views about Ayako and Kentarou's 'blossoming' relationship, not that it went beyond arguing, saving, then getting slapped. They'll grow more intimate soon enough.

Ah! Dammit, focus, Eichirou! Breathe, and exhale. Now, back to thinking.

Should I do something about Hiyama?

Probably. Most likely. The guy was volatile. With the company he keeps, even more so. But confronting them head-on is a bad idea. Today, it was an 'accident' that ended with him burning himself while almost doing the same to us. If I do anything aggressively, it would count as 'assault on a classmate'. The same could be said for him, hence he had to play the victim. This left me to play the waiting game. If he moves, only then could I retaliate or get someone else to do it. No sense to get my hands dirty if he hasn't pushed my buttons, yet again.

Should I do something about Break?

A cold shiver travelled down my spine.

I didn't want to deal with an old man again. Eliheid was around the same age, if not slightly younger, but he was still sane, not counting his blind faith. Ishtar was a prick with ulterior motives, but I can just lay low to avoid him. Can't do the same for Break since he _knows_ about my magic. I just _had_ to show off, didn't I? Having to share my findings of magic would be nice, but not to someone who would probably just see me as a metaphorical goldmine to be emptied and dried up. Better to just be invisible to him, seeing as he still had his duties to train the Hero and his group. I only attended that lesson to get a proper hands-on. Now that I have, I could probably just ask Meld to borrow a corner of the training area every now and then and avoid the Court Mage. The Knight probably won't mind. Hopefully.

"Haaah." I sighed once more and got out of 'contemplation mode'. During times like these, I really miss just turning off my thinking and bingeing on some Netfics and sleep. Sad to say, there was no internet here. Even though I did bring my solar charger for my phone in my schoolbag, playing some music wasn't going to ease my worries. Speaking of playing music, I turned to the maid. "Iselda-san, how many hours do I have until my appointment with Lady Liliana-sama?"

"Around four hours, Yamamoto-sama."

"Then, since it would be quite some time, how about having a light and early lunch before going to the library?"

The maid assented and we entered the dinner hall. However, I didn't expect to see someone already there having his own meal.

"Ara, Hajime-kun," the boy jumped in his seat and tried to hide away the book he was reading while eating. "Fancy meeting you here. Early lunch as well?"

"Ah, yeah. That's right." He nervously shuffled in his seat. I did see him tuck away the tome under the table, but maybe I should pretend I didn't.

"Didn't see you at the magic lecture today." I made casual talk as I sat down opposite him. Iselda had already left to fetch my meal without my input. "Not up for it?"

"Eh? Ah, well," he nervously scratched his head. "I had to check something out so I chose to skip for today. Ahahah."

Funny as I thought he would jump at the chance for otherworldly magic. But, I didn't really have a full understanding of the boy, so who am I to assume? If he says so, I can't just disagree.

Just as he answered, he said nothing more. Maybe it was to avoid the topic or he was just awkward as hell, but the silence that followed was uncomfortable. Well, I better chat with a friend instead, seeing as I need to wait a bit.

"What did you need to check up on? Something to do with your class, I guess?" He stiffened, unsure as to how I knew. "You were asking the librarian for some books about it the other day too, weren't you?"

I was referring to the books he asked for about non-combat classes. Judging by how he tensed up, I maybe correct as to what his problem was.

"Ahahah, correct guess, Eichirou. I found out that my class was really weak." He laughed but it wasn't an amused one. "I didn't want to be a burden to the others so I tried looking for a way to get stronger."

Isn't that convenient. I was in the same boat. Only, I was more in this for myself. Guess that's our differences.

"You're a nice guy, trying your best to not burden Shirasaki-kun."

"Eh? Wha-What does Shirasaki-san have to do with anything?"

"Well I doubt you were doing it for Hiyama," he was flustered, so I chuckled. "From what I could tell, you're not really close with Amanogawa-kun either. So, by order of elimination, Shirasaki-kun was my best guess."

It was pretty much a logical guess, but a guess, nonetheless. He may not _want_ Shirasaki's concern, but he didn't do much to turn her away. Or maybe it was for some other ulterior motive.

"It's either that or maybe it was Yaegashi-kun you were after. Don't tell me, where you putting up with Shirasaki so you could get close to her best friend, the cool and calm beauty? Not a bad plan, Hajime-kun."

"Eh? EEEHHH?!" He tried not to scream but it was fairly audible. "No, no, no, no, no! I would never do that to Shirasaki-san! That's horrible! What kind of guy do you take me—?!"

"I'm joking. Calm down, Hajime-kun." I stopped my teasing then and there. For now. This kid was too nice. "Well, if it isn't Yaegashi-kun _or_ Shirasaki-kun, I guess you really are just a nice guy,"

"Just how did you come to that?" He was miffed, but not so much that he didn't want to talk. It's true that I don't want too burden either of them, but I don't just mean _them_.

Ah, man. You're too considerate. Really, it's stupid to even think about it. If it was me, I wouldn't give this class a damn after all I've seen you go through. But then again, that was me. I couldn't speak for Nagumo as I wasn't him.

"If that's the case, then it's fine. Whoever you do it for is your choice," I smiled at him. "I can't really convince you otherwise because it's something you want to do, no?"

Iselda soon arrived with my meal. A lunch with vegetable soup, some meat and the softest of the bread they could make in this world. To be honest, I preferred cheap bread over their texture any day. Even the bread from the barracks was just as alright as this one. I guess they really do just ration the soldiers and not the palace.

So much for preparing for a war.

"What's up with that meal?" Nagumo suddenly asked. "You sure you're alright with something that small?"

"I'm used to eating small if I'm tired." I replied. "I don't have much of an appetite after exhausting myself with the magic lesson."

"Magic, huh," Nagumo let out a small sigh. "I wonder if I could do it too."

"You can, actually. Anyone can, so long as they have the stat to do it. Aptitudes help, but if one didn't have the magic power, they wouldn't be able to do much without depending on magic support tools." I just stated what I've already researched. Pretty much any actually _can_ use magic. The exception was demi-humans. I didn't trust the mumbo-jumbo about 'Ehito's blessing'. It just could be a difference in racial physiology. That being said, Nagumo _should _be able to. Maybe… "Hajime-kun, what's your class? You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to."

I repeated the question from last time but worded it straightforwardly. True to mu expectations, Hajime hesitated. The last time, I asked about 'stats'. Today, it was about the 'class'. As I thought, this, he replied.

"Ahahah, I got a bad draw." He looked bad. Sounded bad. "I got Synergist. Guess my luck ran out—"

"And why exactly would it be a bad class?"

"Eh?" he didn't expect my interruption. "But, wasn't it a non-combat class?"

"Yeah. And?"

"As the books say, it's pretty much a blacksmithing class. Just making weapons and tools. Isn't it just useless?"

I inhaled. Then exhaled.

_What the fuck is this kid thinking?!_

Hold on, maybe he just doesn't see its strong points. Better elaborate on that first.

… _FINE…_

"Iselda-san, is it alright if I use this to exemplify my point to my classmate?" I held up a fork to the maid. She was confused but then told me it was fine. Turning back to the boy, I handed out the fork. "Hajime-kun, could you take this and turn it into a weapon?"

"… Eh?"

"Could you take _this_," I waved the fork before him. "And turn it into a _weapon_?"

"Wh-why do you ask?"

"I read in the library that classes have certain skills unique to them," desperate reading from yesterday actually has a use for today. Efforts not wasted. "Judging by how everyone sees the Synergist, or Transmutation Master, class as akin to a blacksmith, then it's expected you could make a weapon from any metal in your possession, right? I wanted to confirm that with your skills."

Widening his eyes, he understood my point and took the fork in his hand. After turning it around and observing it, he then closed his eyes and spoke.

_"Transmute."_

The metal gleamed once, then suddenly shifted awkwardly in his fingers.

"Eh?!"

"Well," I smiled awkwardly. "At least you could inflict harm with it."

The fork that previously had three prongs, a neck, and handle was now quite different. It's points on the sides were bent outwards then back after being stretched as along as possible with the middle point as the de facto spear tip. I would say spear, but the thing was only as long as twenty centimeters now compared to its previous ten. It looked brittle to boot.

"Now if you had a harpoon launcher or a small crossbow, I guess you would be unbeatable in the kitchen." I laughed at his expense. Nagumo, however, looked disappointed. "Turn that frown upside down, Hajime-kun. It looks like this now, but maybe with enough practice, you could actually make something more refined than that."

"Maybe you're right." He still looked bad as he tried to revert the utensil. Sadly, it didn't so much as go back to its original form but instead morphed to a small and brittle fishing trident. Dejected even further, he placed the former fork down and went back to eating.

Ah, shit. Now I ruined his appetite.

.

.

.

Goddammit, this was supposed to be me trying to reassure he could do magic. Not make him feel more useless.

How do I fix this?

Contemplating as I ate, I noticed the book he had been reading peeking out from under the table in his lap.

.

.

.

"Hey, Hajime-kun?"

"What's up?"

"Want to help me study magic in the library today? I just so happen to have some free time after and I actually want to review some of my findings with a fellow otherworlder."

Well, at least someone who was not Break Senec, the senile Court Mage.

"Why ask me?" he said. "I haven't even practiced magic yet."

"Yeah, sure. You have a point." I conceded but it only soured his expression further. "But there is something else you could do." His eyes lit up as I said that. "You are familiar with our world's science, right? I mean the basics, of course. Since the magic in this world functions like science would in ours, I figured asking someone to help with my studies would make it easier and you could learn more about it along with me."

Of course, I wasn't looking for just the convenience of having an assistant. If I had an extra perspective on how to develop magic, I could probably find a way to make a portal back faster. If he could learn magic while I research, wouldn't it be mutually beneficial in the long run?

He considered my point. I waited patiently. I wasn't in a rush. If he agreed, we would probably have all the time in the world with our circumstances.

It would also give me some legroom too work around Ishtar's surveillance. He could assign one to observe Nagumo as well, but if we worked independently, he would have to focus on two things at once. I would ask Endou as well, but he hasn't shown much interest in the library as Nagumo has. It would be suspicious for someone without interest to suddenly start hanging around the place.

"Alright. I'll help." He agreed. "But I still have to do some training with Meld-san and the knight order."

"It's fine with me." I responded. "If you want to help the others in the war directly, go ahead. I won't stop you."

I left the rest of my thoughts unsaid. With Iselda around and a few of the guards present, I wouldn't want to blurt out anything to tip them off, or Ishtar for that matter.

That said, we had an agreement. As soon as we were done eating, we both headed for the library. Having memorized the path by now, I had Iselda take her early break while we took the stroll on our own.

We passed by the other classmates as they had just finished their magic practice to have lunch. Since we were already done, I gave a few greetings and told them we were off to the library. Only a handful really cared like Jugo and Ayako's group. Hatayama-sensei warned us both against overdoing it, something I had to apologize for again.

Amanogawa seemed to leave me alone and completely ignore Hajime, but the same couldn't be said for the worried Shirasaki. I successfully stifled my laughter as Yaegashi had to literally drag her away before Shirasaki started to dote on Nagumo again with questions like 'Are you feeling okay?' or 'Should I get you some medicine?'. I half-expected her to end it with 'Should I nurse you back to health if you're not feeling well?', but Yaegashi had that covered and spared Nagumo the embarrassment.

Ah, such carefree people.

Before long, we bid them off as we headed towards the Library for our own self-imposed task. All throughout the small meeting with the class, I could feel the way the class looked at me. There were people transfixed on my wellbeing, technically one person, but it _was _Hatayama Aiko's duty. How dependable. The others looked to me with indifference, like Amanogawa who was now looking at me with the same glances he gave Nagumo. Odd, but I didn't really expect anything from the self-centered guy. Then, there was the troublesome yet satisfying glares Hiyama and his group sent my way.

I knew they were pissed. But I really didn't care about them right now. Sure they were trouble, but just thinking they existed was in itself a cause of stress. Better do the best thing right now and ignore them.

But just as we left, I felt the glares leave my back. Curious if they were gone, I chatted with Hajime on simple things, an excuse to allow me the chance to look over my shoulder. I was wrong. They weren't gone, just not looking at me.

They had their sights on Hajime.

Well, Shit…

.

.

.

I guess I _will_ have to dirty my hands one way or another. Looking back on it, I guess this is karma for losing my cool.

I should learn to just keep my mouth shut.

* * *

**_So, this was upped early for IRL reasons. Depending on how you guys like the arrangement, I may change how I display the Status Plate contents in the future. For now, take it with a grain of salt as ffnet does not have table support._**

**_Just realized now that the word count per chapter has been increasing, about 2k every succeeding chap, but the plot just goes way too slow for some of you. I'll try fixing that, but don't get your hopes up. I'm running on 'motivation and love for the web series' fuel, but this stuff tends to disappear when I get depression or writer's block._**

**_And, for jumping this up to 58 Followers and 49 Favorites, I plan on including a fight scene or something next chap just so it stops getting boring for those of you who are probably at the end of their attention rope._**

**_Hope that does NOT amp the word count per chap even more. _**

**_Also, I might update this later than normal next week depending on IRL stuff. Thesis papers are hard. Harder especially when you have people mouthing off that they're not and keep telling you to stop whining. I get that it shouldn't be _****this_ hard, but I doubt someone saying it isn't will actually help anyone._**

**_Anyway, enough about me. Review this stuff if you want me to get better. I wouldn't be absolutely sure about the plot and everything else until someone says something._**


	5. Chapter 5

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 5: Similar Panic, Different Severity**

* * *

Lady Liliana listened intently as my fingers flew across the keys. Every note brought the tempo up and allowed us to enjoy a fun beat. Normally, the song I was playing would have a violin and drums accompanying it. But as I only had the hands to play one instrument at a time, I had to settle for the piano alone. The cheery and familiar rhythm of the piano made it easy to forget I was in another world enjoying my break from research with a Princess.

For a moment there, as my heart danced to the beat of the music, I thought I was playing for my little sister while she watched my performance.

Ah, such bliss.

It had been four days since Hajime and I started researching this world's magic system and about a week since being summoned. How time flies!

But, already, we've hit a block. Well, I did. Hajime had easily picked up on how to use magic. He faced the difficulty of having to make larger circles for more effective spells, but he was getting there. Even with a low Magic, the guy was nothing if not persistent. Makes someone like me who had twenty times his base stats feel not deserving of the gifts I was given. Had there been a computer, printer, and photocopy machine, then creating the circles would have been less taxing on his hands. He really found quill-writing to be really difficult unlike me who found it fun in a way.

But then there was my problem.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, in the Heiligh Great Library had the solution I needed. No magic on space or interdimensional portals. No spells with the void or space attribute. Nothing about other worlds or dimensions. Hell, they didn't even have records of any debates concerning where Ehito came from.

Well, he _was_ there god. I guess questioning where your deity came from was a big no-no where the influence of the Church of Saints was strong.

Did that mean I have to leave Heiligh Kingdom to find my answers?

Shit. Not only do I have to be trapped in this dangerous, monster-inhabited dimension, but I have to travel it to find answers. Goddamn you, Ehito.

There existed a few notes on how somethings called 'Great Labyrinths' held magic tools and materials within that had never been seen before. They could potentially hold answers to the problem of interdimensional magic. One of them was close by, the Orcus Great Labyrinth. But it had only been explored up to the fortieth or so levels. It was said to have a hundred floors. There were other confirmed suspected labyrinths here and there, eight in total. But out of them all, Orcus was the only one within Heiligh Kingdom.

Trying to find and explore the others would be like an archaeological expedition to other countries which could be seen as potential scouting parties. It would send a bad impression especially if the one leading it was just a child who was also an Apostle that avoided fighting the devils. And I highly doubt they would allow me a small escort if they were making ready for war.

This was not good. Not good at all.

I bluffed about surpassing a god. I promised I would find a way to bring help from my world. I was claiming the impossible, sure. But with how the odds were stacked against me, I practically played them all as fools. And now, I could see the consequences crashing down upon me in the near future.

I would probably be imprisoned or executed for being a fraud. If they looked at my Status Plate, they could very well say it was probably true. Out of all the Hero's companions, the classless one didn't fight, let alone assist with the preparation for war. Let's not forget about having the highest Magic stat. I would be depicted as a lazy slob or coward. Or both!

The classmates seeing me that way was fine. Their opinion mattered little compared to the denizens of Tortus who were providing me food and shelter. Quite literally, I was a waste of tax money.

I also couldn't just run and escape. I'm as trapped as a rat in this world. I may have researched a lot about it, but I have never lived here at all. I don't fully know how their society works. Sure, they resemble the Medieval Era of western Europe, but that didn't mean they ran the same culture!

Especially dangerous stuff will never be made known to a public through libraries or education as they were both controlled by religion. For all I know, heretics here could be tortured and then brainwashed by magic to fight as soldiers or worked to death like slaves.

Either I die outside the Kingdom, or I die for it.

Fuck.

"Eichirou-sama, is something the matter?"

"No, it's nothing to be concerned about, my Lady," I snapped out of it to present a polite smile. The princess looked to me with concern in her eyes. So I chose to divert her attention away from me. "Did you like the music?"

"Yes, I did." She didn't seem to believe me but replied, nonetheless. "This Vandross Cloud is amazing for having composed such a song. What did he call it again?"

"'Wings of Piano', my Lady."

"'Wings'? Hm," Liliana tilted her head at my response. She tried to play the chorus a few times from memory and got very close to getting it down perfectly. Truly, this child had talent and was hardworking to boot. She really reminded me of my diligent sister. "Is it because the music makes one feel as if they were flying?"

"It was a general consensus among those that adored it, yes, my Lady." Even her assumption of the song's meaning was the same as my sibling's. If they met, they would probably become fast friends. I wonder… "He also has another song I favor. It's named 'Love for Atlantis'."

"'Atlantis'?"

"In my world, it's a mythical city that sank beneath the ocean long, long ago." I explained. "In some cases, it's a really dramatic story, but if you'd like, I could tell you about it later."

"Then, could I request it of you as well? After you perform, of course. Songs and stories from your home world are all so interesting and lovely."

She subtly requested ever so politely, but I could see the gleam in her eyes. She adored the stories as well as the music I had showed her every teatime since day one. After the second visit, she looked like she wanted to demand I come by every single day. Being the gentleman, I had to politely decline as it would paint the young girl in poor light. However, I did end up promising to extend my breaks just so we could have a music lesson every now and then.

No progress with my research and having only to teach Nagumo the mechanics of spell-writing, I had a lot of free time, regrettably.

"Please pardon my performance, my Lady, but this piece is just the piano solo version. Playing the equivalent of a full orchestra is beyond my abilities."

"That's a shame." She smiled warmly. "But please, I still wish to listen to you play."

I began to play the new song. Technically, the intro would have been played by a guitar and violin. Next would have been the wind to set the mood. But I played it all as best I could with the piano before it would actually join the symphony. The song took a dance of its own and made Liliana slightly tilt herself from side to side.

Then, the sad part came. The music took on a deeper and graver tone to play out the inevitable downfall to come of the sunken city. It started off slow, with a melody of raindrops. A pause, then the waves came splashing. This would have been the violins but as I didn't have any, I did the best I could with the piano.

The lull that should have been accompanied by winds and percussions returned the mood to playful and joyous. Liliana seemed to enjoy this one as she started to sway with the music once more. Unfortunately, sad times weren't over. The drop of melody, another pause, then what should have been the bell tolling to signal the ocean as it came down to devour the city.

Had I been performing this with a violin, then the song would have been more theatrical. The despair, the fear, the isolation expressed with such a tragic tone. All of these emotions came crashing as a violent, orchestral storm, only to recede back to a peaceful melody. The soft final notes as the last drops of rain, lamenting as the city vanished beneath the waves, lost to the world forever.

I really liked this song. Hanami and Daiki both seemed to enjoy watching me play it too. I liked it even more for that. When I asked why they liked to watch me perform such a sad song though, they only told me 'even if it's sad, onii-sama seems to have so much fun with it'.

True, I did. But only because they enjoyed it as well. My sibling's happiness was my happiness. If they were happy, what could be better?

_Were they happy right now, I wonder?_

"How was it, Liliana-sama?" I snapped away from my internal contemplation as I checked to see if she enjoyed it. She looked, how should I say, a little conflicted. Teary-eyed was one thing, but wearing a satisfied smile? I handed her my handkerchief. "Was it too emotional for you, my Lady?"

"No, it was absolutely beautiful," she took the cloth and dabbed her eyes dry. Her complexion looking better like a child's after a fun and exhilarating ride. "I truly wish I could hear an entire ensemble play such a gorgeous composition."

_Yeah, me too._

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Liliana-sama."

She nodded and started to attempt to play it from memory again. She didn't get far so I had to show her once more. Of course, after a few attempts, she seemed to get the hang of it. Not the whole song, mind you, but she still learned to play what she could by ear better than I did when I first started learning.

Come to think of it, I had been playing the song better here than I ever had before on Earth. Was that how nostalgic I felt? That I yearned to listen to the song that my siblings and I enjoyed so much that I got better just to remind myself of its beauty and the happy times we shared?

No way. That's just ridiculous. I had to refrain from slapping how stupid the idea was.

I must just miss them so much that I couldn't help but think I _had_ gotten better. No way I could play this song as well as the original creator. I'm not that kind of genius.

Just a desperate kid that misses home.

"Eichirou-sama, are you sure nothing is bothering you?" Liliana's sudden serious tone broke my train of thought. Looking at the girl, no, the young lady sat next to me, her air had grown more mature than it was during the performance. She had swapped to Princess Mode.

"What makes you so sure that something is bothering me, my Lady?" I asked, evasively.

"Please stop avoiding the question and tell me."

Liliana stared at me, unwavering. She was perceptive.

"I assure you, my Lady," I insisted. "Nothing is wrong—"

"Eichirou-sama, that's obviously a lie." She spoke familiar words that resonated in my mind. "If nothing truly bothered you, such a sad expression wouldn't be present on your face right now."

_'Oniisama, I can tell if you're lying to me. You're making that face again.'_

For a moment, I saw someone other than the Princess sitting next to me. I saw one of the few I wished was here. One of those that I really missed.

I chose to ignore that.

Had I really been that obvious? Had my face been expressing what I truly feel? Even so, it's be best not to let it bother her.

"My Lady, please—"

"Eichirou-sama," I started and yet she interrupted, staring deeply into my eyes. "I'm a Princess of the Kingdom of Heiligh and have been entrusted by my father, the King, to accommodate you as our guest and his friend. Something that's bothering you is as my business as is yours."

_'Your my brother, therefore, what bothers you bothers me.'_

Again, the voice and words overlapped. Again, Liliana wore that face of concern and stern responsibility.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I seeing someone who wasn't even here?

"Hana—my Lady." I collected myself. "I insist."

"Please stop treating me like a child." Her eyes told me she wasn't going to let go of it at all. "Tell me what's wrong."

"It's… It's just a spell of homesickness," I admitted. "Nothing serious."

"Had it been not, you wouldn't be denying it so vehemently."

She had a point. Fuck. I can't win against this girl.

_Not when I've dug my own grave._

"Truth be told," I reluctantly explained. "I'm feeling a bit down over my current progress in my research. I've been stuck for a while now that I started reminiscing my family. And how I miss them."

"Why didn't you tell me the first time I asked?" She spoke so similarly. Like a mother would out of concern for her child. "Was it so personal that you chose not to explain it, even slightly?"

Or a younger sister concerned for her idiot brother.

"Not so, my Lady. I just did not wish to trouble you with my woes," I smiled as I answered, but she could see it for what it was. An excuse. "You've been enjoying our time together and I couldn't bring myself to dampen your mood."

"If you were feeling troubled, you shouldn't hide such things. It's not good for one to keep negative thoughts to themselves. Know that I am here, waiting, in case you need someone to listen to your worries."

_'If you want someone to lean on, Daiki and I, as well as mother and father, are here for you as well.'_

Well, shit. This was bad. I could feel my eyes watering every time I looked at this girl. I could see the resemblance even though I knew they were different people.

"My humblest apologies, Liliana-sama." I looked away in shame. And fear. "But I can't…"

_'Can't what' exactly?_

I can't bring myself to look at the girl. It was just a single instance. But that instance planted a seed of hope. A hope that if I looked long enough, Princess Liliana would take the form of my sister Hanami. That kind of hope was false and fragile.

It was the kind of hope that would destroy me. It shouldn't take root or blossom.

Only, Liliana was the kind of person to not let a simple excuse dissuade her.

"I won't stand for this, Eichirou-sama!"

"Eh?" I had to look up towards her as she stood up and glared down on me. "Liliana-sama?"

"You shouldn't be straining yourself for my sake. One such as yourself should be free to deny my requests if you find it troubling."

"My Lady, forgive me for disagreeing, but I have never found your requests troubling in any way." I stood up as well to deny the fact. My height towered over hers, nevertheless she stared back in defiance. "Please do not take it the wrong way. I only sincerely wish for you to enjoy yourself."

"Even still," she argued back. "Eichirou-sama is above someone like me. I may be a Princess, but you are an Apostle. An Apostle of god shouldn't be burdening themselves for my sake. Or my happiness." Her voice quieted to a whisper as her fists ended up balling by her sides. "Not unless you want me to misinterpret your feelings."

"Eh?"

What the hell was she say—OH! OH! NO! Wait nononononononono! Oh god, no!

"Lady Liliana—"

I was interrupted by the shorter girl's hand in my face. She was looking down so maybe she hadn't noticed. But she had thrown it so close to my nose, I couldn't help but notice the fragrance of something resembling freshly picked fruits. Or flowers.

_NO, STOP! SHE'S A MINOR, DUMBASS! FOCUS!_

Oh right!

"My Lady—?"

"Please, Eichirou-sama!" She accidentally pressed her fingers to my lips to silence me, sending the stupefied organ between my ears into overdrive just to keep myself calm. "I've come to realize that our breaks aren't helping you relax as I thought they would."

"Mm?!" I mumbled incoherently.

"Therefore, I will suggest a different solution."

"Eh?! Liliana-sama? Wai—?!"

"Forgive my rudeness, Eichirou-sama, but I must cut this break short. I'm doing this for your sake." I couldn't even get a word in. The princess tuned me out, and in a few seconds, I was being ushered out the door, a few minutes before our break usually ended. "Come to the training grounds tomorrow. And be prepared for a workout."

That was all I was given before she shut me out. Her personal maid, who assisted the little girl in pushing me out, looked to me with a nervous yet bemused expression. She was outside for a reason. To keep me from knocking on Liliana's door.

This means her orders were final and would not be changed by anything I tried to say.

"Thank you for accommodating her Highness again this evening, Yamamoto-sama." The maid bowed to me while smiling apologetically. Well, it wasn't really her fault I was kicked out. I need not be mad at someone just doing her job so she didn't have to. "I wish you a good night."

"Eheh," I smiled in response, but even then still gave her a confused smile. "Don't mention it, Helina-san."

No, really. Don't. I have no idea what I had done except maybe gotten her mad and further confused her feelings. I still hadn't nipped that problem in the bud as I didn't know how to approach it without making things awkward between us. Doing that would put me in a precarious situation with my friend Eliheid and the pope might think something was up and cause a major misunderstanding.

Now though? It was still biting me in the ass in more ways than one.

_Nice going, you indecisive idiot!_

With nothing to do about it, I bid Liliana's personal maid adieu and took my leave.

As I walked down the corridors, alone, I thought about my mistake. Seeing the princess resemble my sibling so much, I couldn't help but feel depressed. She wasn't fully similar to Hanami, but the key features were there. She also had the same intense curiosity as Daiki. The way she kept egging me on to play more or tell her stories was quite telling.

_Shit. I really am homesick._

It wasn't the same as when I transferred to Japan ahead of my siblings. At least then, I had the option to call them and my parents or send messages.

But the isolation I've been feeling in Tortus was getting to my head. I had been fumbling every now and then, saying stuff that would risk me being exposed when I should've held my tongue.

Dammit.

God-fucking dammit.

"What's got you in a sour mood today?"

The ninja, he hates it when I call him that, made his appearance, leaning on a corner wall.

"Yo, Kousuke-kun. I got kicked out from Lady Liliana's study."

"What?" He looked at me strangely. But then he started to tease. "Did you go too far with your flirting now?"

"Of course not, Mr. Invisible," the corner of his eye and lips twitched at my talkback. "She was worried because I felt a bit depressed today. So she called off the break early to give me some time to myself."

I then explained the situation to Endou. Having been friends with him for a week, I felt I could tell him about the lack of progress with the research. Among the classmates, Kousuke was one of the calmest and most collected. Had I mentioned this to Ayako, Kentarou, or Hatayama-sensei, they would be depressed for a long while. In the teacher's case, it would likely spread like wildfire for how difficult it would be for her _not_ to lie to her concerned fan club.

"So you have a morning date with the Princess, aren't you happy about that."

"I told you it's not like that," I responded calmly at the teasing with an amused smile. "Besides, I'm not even sure she would think of that to cheer me up."

Kousuke just shrugged while mouthing 'you never know' just to annoy me.

This was another thing I found out about the dude. He liked to tease. Well, more now than before. It could've been the shock of being isekaied, wow, that was a weird term, that stopped him from expressing himself. But now that it's been a week and ample enough time for the class to get settled, the exception being myself, he was beginning to articulate even more. Either that, or my teasing rubbed off on him.

"So, what're you going to do?"

"I'll take Lady Liliana up on her offer. Can't really deny it when she practically ordered me to be there."

"I meant the research."

"Be more specific then, otherwise I'll forget you're even here." My face cringed in annoyance for being reminded of my problems. The jab had little effect as well, so I just sighed and answered. "I'm not sure, man. But if the Library doesn't have what I need, then maybe… maybe I should try outside the Kingdom."

I stared out the hall's windows as Ii said that. The small glass panes showed the stunning sights beyond the walls of the palace. A gorgeous view, but potentially filled with monsters.

I looked away from it but my eyes settled on the carpeted floor.

"That's dangerous, Eichirou."

"Gee, no shit. Thanks, Captain Obvious."

"Everyone will be worried," he ignored my jab and stated something worrisome. "Ai-chan wouldn't allow you to leave."

"Heh, I highly doubt 'everyone' would. Still, if I don't do this, I won't be able to find us a way home." I murmured the thought but saw his point. "Hatayama-sensei's too caring for her own good."

"Like you?"

"My 'caring' is more selfishly motivated than hers," I argued back. Kousuke already knew I was doing the research just to get back home for my family's sake. I placed everyone else's situation secondary to mine. "I could probably convince her if I word it properly or show my resolve."

Despite the teacher's insistence, she still lacked the influence to even prevent her students from volunteering for a war. It was bad to trample her efforts at keeping everyone safe, but if I was forced to do so, I would need to leave that safety in order to find a more solid lead.

"I guess I could come with you." Kousuke blatantly stated. "Don't know about Jugo or Ken-chan, but I can't just leave you to your own devices."

"No, you don't." I denied him. "You have no need to risk yourself just because I couldn't find anything or keep my mouth shut. You're staying here." He stared at me with indifference, nonverbally stating he would do it even if I refused. "Don't make me stick you to your bed this time."

"Do that, and I'll gouge your eyes out as soon as I find you."

Minor magic experiment fails. I tried to see if I could make a new magic attribute that was neither water nor earth by mixing both. It was to see if I could find new elements in my search for a special attribute with void or space control.

Childish logic, sure, but I never expected to be able to create a goo that stuck objects together by contact. Kousuke's seat, a small wooden crate at the time, was attached to his rear end for a whole day like a wooden bee. And he was still seething about it.

Sure, he was visible to everyone for the entire day, but it was embarrassing to say the least. I owed him an apology.

However, it wasn't enough to have him put his life on the line.

"Only I will need to leave, you're staying here to keep on training." My tone was dismissive, my eyes staring him down behind my glasses, signaling the end of the argument. I softened my gaze slightly. To express I wasn't mad, just firm in my decision. "You may not like it, but Jugo-kun and Kentarou-kun would be more worried without you. They need someone watching their backs."

They had been friends for far longer compared to the week I've gotten to know them all. If there was anyone they could trust to back them up, it was Endou. He would be watching out for them even if they didn't know it.

"…"

Endou's glare burned the back of my head, but he didn't argue back. Having hung out with them for a while, they've started to pick up on my cues as I have to theirs. Kousuke especially was noticing far more than I gave him credit for. That time with Hiyama was an example. The fact that he didn't resist when I took his fire-imbued staff without prior notice meant he understood what I was going to do, in a sense.

As we arrived at the hall for dinner, I joined the usual group. I had been ever since the practice I set fire to an ass. I thought I should socialize more often. It really took the edge off after I started working with Nagumo, but the load almost vanished when I started to join the rest for meals.

"Oh! Eichirou, Kousuke. Come on, let's eat!"

"Hurry up, before Gochin finishes—OI! That's my meat!"

"Really now, Kentarou. How rude of you to take food from other's plates."

Kentarou and Jugo were already digging in and arguing about slices of meat. Apparently, being forced to do the same exercise regimen as the knight order was enough to force the two into gorging as much as they could. From looking alone, I noticed Jugo had gained some weight. Not that it impeded his class of a heavily armored front liner. Kentarou, on the other hand, was gaining muscles.

Both Endou and I had noticed him flexing before during bath time. We knew why and teasing him was too easy.

"Thank god, we get tomorrow off. I don't wanna go back! Don't wanna! Don't wanna!"

"Aya-chan, please shut up and let me rest."

"Ueeee! Why is magic so haaaaaaard! Also Bakabreak! Give us a break!"

"Suzu?"

"Hm, what, Erin?"

"Shhh."

Ayako and the other girls, on the other hand, were exhausted and somehow unable to even pick up their spoons. Magic training was harsh on the mind, or so they say, but having an instructor that blew up her own demonstrations made the normally excited girls deflate as soon as it was over.

The mage named Ruina was apparently clumsier than I initially thought. During one of the recent lessons, Tear mentioned that she regarded the youngest of the mage instructors as one of her most hardworking student. I guess she implied that there was no other strong point to describe of the failure-prone adult.

"You shouldn't eat too much. You're going to get a stomachache. Hey, knock it off and start eating. If you don't, you'll go hungry later tonight. Sensei will get mad at you if you cause the kitchen staff trouble for being hungry!"

"Ai-chan is so cute."

"So much like a mom."

"Ai-chan as a mom? Impossible! She's too cute."

"Hey! Stop that and finish your meal! Sensei will get angry, you know?!"

"Kya~, she's so cute!"

Hatayama-sensei was at the center of her own little fan club. I noticed that they always stuck around her protecting her like she was a little pup. Adorable, but they pretty much jeered every time I spoke politely to the teacher. Did they think I was picking her up or something? Not to insult the woman's feminine charm but I wasn't interested.

Sure, she was legal, but she worried incessantly. Sometimes, it was difficult to even say you were fine to her when she hardly believed you were. Like a doting mother, and thank god, mom wasn't like that.

"Guys, great work today. Tomorrow is our day off. Let's rest easy and prepare for the coming week."

The other classmates were pretty much worn-out one way or another. Amanogawa even tried to reinvigorate everyone's spirits. Too bad, it wasn't very convincing, what with him struggling to keep his fatigue from showing.

"Oh, Eichirou-kun. I got the circle done. I don't know about the end result yet. Didn't have enough mana to test it, but the spell should work as a good defense even if it isn't perfect."

"Then, let's have a go at it tomorrow."

"Sure, everyone's on break anyways. We can probably borrow a section of the field if we can find Meld-san."

Nagumo, on the other hand, was pretty much looking normal, aside from our exchange being done through whispers. Unlike the others, he hadn't taken much part in physical training and had been spending more time with me in the library trying to find more he could do with magic than he did sleeping.

A few days ago, he even beat my early-rising routine by an hour. The librarian was really surprised at his enthusiasm but livid when he asked if he could have breakfast while he flipped through books.

I guess the guy was trying his best in his own way. Even if it put off a lot of people.

Small talks as we ate. Fun and relaxing. Unlike the times I get to relax and play the piano for Liliana, these little times of simple banter and jokes made me feel young again.

I sound like an old man for thinking that, but the time I spent with Liliana was more like being an older sibling. This one with friends was, as the old people put it, youth at its peak. It felt great. Like the responsibilities were momentarily gone.

And for as long as the moment lasted, I enjoyed it.

* * *

"Haaah… Haaah… Meld?"

"What's up, Eichirou?"

"What… Haaah…. the hell… Haaah… am I doing… Haaah… here?"

"Hime-sama asked me to help train you to relieve your stress and take your mind off things."

"Oh… Haaah…. I see."

The wheezing boy looked over to his other companion.

"And you… Haaah… Hajime?"

"Haaah… I've been… Haaah… skipping training… Meld-san… Haaah… wanted me… Haaah… to at least… Haaah… run a few laps…"

"Oh… Haaah… so you aren't… Haaah… being punished… Haaah… for skipping?"

"Had I known both of you were this unfit, I would have allowed you a short break earlier."

Meld's brow furrowed at how the two tired boys glared at him from beneath their sopping wet hair. Sweat was the norm after exercising for about an hour, however both looked more dead than tired.

"That's… Haaah… what we… Haaah… were trying… Haaah… to do… Haaah… earlier…" Eichirou slowly stood up straight, arms at his sides. His glasses were sliding off the bridge of his nose due to the sweat but he was too tired to care. "You just… Haaah… kept telling us to… Haaah… run!"

He looked miffed, but Meld had just been following the Princess' instructions of forcing the boy into a workout session to stop him from thinking and get his body moving. The Knight Commander didn't think his choice of having them run laps was wrong, but maybe he should tone it down a bit more when it came to these two. Unlike the others, they didn't seem to share the bountiful physical stats as their fellow Apostles.

Although, from what he heard of Alan and the old Court Mage, Eichirou had magic powerful enough to take on ten men at once and still retained the strength to cast more varied spells. He also could apparently simul-cast spells.

Magic was a great tool used in war as well, but the fighting was mostly done by the knights. The primary reason being one couldn't keep up a barrage of fireballs. If a group of monsters was too large, they would whittle them down with a few spells or narrow down paths of approach, or in cases of eradication, their escape.

If Eichirou was focused on studying as a mage, then it would be understandable why he was physically weaker than most of the others. It would serve him well to have a body fit for running or traveling on foot in case he ran out of mana. With his high magic ability it should also be possible for his stats to grow faster as well. Whatever the case, he understood his position and only commented back, never refusing the exercise.

Looking over to Hajime, Meld thought the boy's situation a bit harder to understand. When he'd learned that the boy was just a Synergist, he thought he could at least find someone willing to teach the boy the craft. However, Pope Ishtar had advised against it, stating that 'distracting the Apostles from the greater threat would be detrimental to our salvation'. Apparently, even Ehito-sama believed having a Synergist undergo knight training would be better than having him utilize his real class.

The believer within the Knight Commander wished to follow his god's will, but the man he had grown to become after years of fighting monsters and defending his home said such a thing was ridiculous. To take away a smith's hammer to give him a sword is the same as sending him to die. Having experienced a great deal over his career, Meld hadn't enjoyed the idea of having kids fight a war. Hajime's case only made the feeling grow even grimmer.

"You're thinking… Haaah… of putting us… Haaah… through the ringer again… Haaah… aren't you?" Having noticed the Knight's serious expression as he stared towards the two, Eichirou spoke his thoughts. "I'm only gonna say this once… Haaah… Do it, and we might actually die."

'I guess this is their limit for the day.'

Meld smiled wryly as he returned his focus to reality. The two were still exhausted that standing up seemed to be their limit.

"You've done well to keep up at least. You should work out often to keep up your stamina. Being able to endure strenuous labor would actually help you in more ways than fighting. You should emulate what Ryutarou calls his 'fighting spirit'."

Meld's time with the other Apostles had allowed him the chance to get to know them. Although still children, a few displayed talents for fighting and were able to endure hellish training from day one. Sakagami Ryutarou was one of them, and his philosophy was pretty much the embodiment of a hardworking soldier.

"Don't… compare… me… with brawn-for-brains… Haaaaaaaah…" straightening himself up, Eichirou replied heaving a sigh.

"Someone like Sakagami-kun… Heeeh… isn't the standard… Heeeh… for humans in… Heeeh… our world," Hajime tiredly agreed next to him, struggling to even breathe. "He's… Heeeh… an outlier…"

Meld knew he had been in the library for most of the week, but he couldn't forget the boy's deplorable situation. He knew the kid was trying to find a way to equalize his position with his fellows so Meld kept silent about it and didn't scold the boy for doing things his own way. To be told that Ryutarou's enthusiasm was not shared by his fellows, however, it didn't take much to convince the Knight Commander.

"True, only Kouki's pretty much been able to keep up with him. I think we can call it a day for the simple exercise." Meld nodded, but then his serious tone returned. "However Hajime, you still haven't done much for weapons training, so we will get to that now, after you've had some rest."

"Eeeeeeeeh?" His face contorted in disappointment but he didn't refuse.

"Heh, sucks to be you."

"I'm afraid you'll be joining him, Eichirou."

"Hah? Why?!"

"Liliana-sama's request was not limited to simple running." Meld didn't want to rain on the other guy's parade, but he had his orders. "Since we have the time, we will be having you practice some self-defense as well. Also, I'm obligated to inform you that you've been banned from the library for the entire day under her Highness' orders."

"EEEEEHHHHH?" Now it was his turn to contort his expression, only this one was surprise and shock.

"Heheh, how'd you like them apples?" Hajime teased. But the gloating didn't last long as even he was informed of being banned. "EH?! Why me too?"

"You've been causing the librarian trouble for the past few days." Meld explained with an incredulous expression, wondering why the boy failed to notice. "Only Senec-dono has ever gone so far as to trouble the librarian to opening the Great Library an hour or more before dawn, and now the Court Mage is still serving his six-month ban. The young lady needs to rest too, you know. In the past week, she couldn't do so since 'the Apostles needed her assistance'."

Both boys deflated at the mention of the librarian. It was a fact that they appreciated her help, something the librarian herself expressed to the princess, however she found it difficult to refuse them and ended up overworking even herself to keep the books organized and tidy.

Meld was actually impressed. Between the two teenagers, they had caused her almost the same amount of trouble Break Senec has done for the past few months. Quite the thing to be impressed about, sure, but they were as enthusiastic and persistent about learning as someone Meld had believed to had already gone senile with age.

"Alan, Reed, bring out the weapon racks."

""Sir!""

As he waited for them to catch their breath, Meld gave his orders to the two soldiers on standby. As soon as the words left his mouth, they were already moving. Stands and a few tables with equipment laid bare were assorted out next to them. Before he even asked for it, targets were already laid out for him and the boys to use for practice. Some were even laid out in small formations. His men never disappointed him. Such discipline was the envy of other countries' military. One could say that Meld Loggins was one of if not _the_ greatest commanders that the Heiligh Kingdom had been blessed with.

But enough about himself, as he would say. The important, and fun, part comes next.

"Choose your weapons." He stated clearly, using the strong voice he normally had when drilling his men. "From what I've gathered from your fellow companions, our equipment is what you refer to as 'Medeval?' or ancient gear. Since such things had already existed in your world, I'd like for you to pick the one most familiar so as we can train you to use them properly."

The boys reluctantly approached the racks and tables to get a better look at what the knight order had to offer. Spears and swords of the finest make. Axes and hammers strong enough to withstand crushing goblin skulls. Shields that could protect from tens of arrows fired from the same direction. The knights had stocked up on a lot of gear over the years. They weren't as powerful as artifacts, per se. Many had been loot collected from bandit-hunting excursions while others were commissioned from the best blacksmiths in the Kingdom. Not powerful to fight devils, but adequate enough if you faced monsters.

"Oh, a sword." Hajime had picked up a one-handed short sword. It was just short of half a meter and looked more like a long dagger with its relatively small hilt. Pulling the hilt slightly, Hajime unsheathed the blade and swung it lightly to test. "So light. What metal is this made from?"

"Some of these aren't actually metal," Meld explained to the boy's surprise. "There are monsters with metal-like bone structures that we need to hunt down every now and then. Their materials are great for equipment as they are light but durable. Also, much better than steel and easier to process than, say, adamantium or mithril."

"So cool."

Meld watched as the boy showed a similar expression to the other Apostles. He'd heard their world actually used weapons made from steel that launched small, metallic balls as projectiles. 'Guns' they called it. But the concept was lost to the Knight Commander.

Patting the weapon at his side, the Knight reminisced on when he too was given the chance to select his weapon. A two-handed long sword. Made from the same monster materials, if not slightly superior, to the blade Hajime was holding aloft. Heavy and strong, it could cleave most human-sized monsters in two with the right swing. Could be used defensively and didn't need much maintenance.

The knight order required him and his men to learn the use of other weapon types, of course. It was a standard military protocol in case you lost your main weapon. You needed to learn how to adapt in fights and having a spare or knowing how to use another that you picked off a corpse paid dividends to saving one's life.

"Hmm… It's a bit too long." Looking over to Eichirou, Meld noticed he was looking over the spear racks comparing his height to each one he found. He returned them as soon as he judged the length with his height. "None of these would work well."

"What's wrong, Yamamoto-sama?" Alan had approached before Meld could say anything. "Do the weapons available not meet your standards?"

"Do you have anything about this tall?" The boy stood straight and set his hand upright on his head. "These spears are too long. It's a bit hard for me to use."

'Too long? But the average soldier should be able to wield spears up to two and a half meters long.' Meld thought. "Alan, go fetch him a shorter one. If you can't, take off the rear spikes and shave down the shaft if you have too."

"Y-Yes, Sir."

Meld eyed Eichirou as the boy shifted his attention to the other weapons. He tested a few, picking up rapiers and swords then giving them a swing or thrust as he curiously studied the tools in his hands. He did the same for shields, except this time, he tried to carry the smaller ones with a single hand while forgoing the heavier makes. He did the same for axes and hammers, took one look at the larger, two-handed ones then moved on to grip the small maces and picks.

He looked like he knew his way around weapons, a curious thing for Meld as he had heard their world had stopped using them for war and did so for ornamental ceremonies, or rarely sport, or so Shizuku said.

Alan soon returned and handed Eichirou a spear with a simple bladed end and an ebony shaft. The boy took it and started practice thrusting. After a few swings, he nodded and thanked the soldier. He then sat back down and rested. Oddly, he remained observing the weapon he was given. Meld noted it was one of curiosity, but also… something more. Amazement? Awe? The Knight Commander couldn't put his finger on it.

"You're going with the spear, Eichirou-kun?"

"Yeah. I hear it's easier to use, but getting the height just right is more of a preference thing."

With time to spare, the two broke out in conversation. Meld didn't bother them as he was getting his men to gather some light protective gear from the barracks. It wouldn't do for them to exhaust themselves with just wearing the armor.

"Why the short sword, Hajime-kun?"

"It just seemed cool as weapon. Don't you think so?"

Meld had heard this often from the other Apostles. Though, he never bothered it. What they found impressive about the tools were more aesthetic than functional from what the Knight Commander gathered. As their instructor, he frowned on that and suggested weapons that befitted their classes.

Daisuke wanted to go for the long sword as well, claiming it was 'cool' and whatnot. But the boot didn't fit the foot. Watching the boy swing the blade like a club had Meld wincing at the poor performance before he suggested the guy stick with some gauntlets instead. Close range Fighters couldn't compare with Swordsmen when talking about wielding bladed weapons anyway.

"Well, think what you will." Eichirou, in respect for his fellow Apostle's choice, responded thus. "I just don't want to be so close to something or someone trying to kill us."

"Eh?"

"Well, this _is_ for self-defense. Why else wouldn't I be cautious enough to keep myself at a distance? Try lifting your blade and stretch your hands as far as you could."

Hajime seemed to slowly come to understand his point, but he held the sword up and tried raising the blade to eye-level as instructed.

"That's as far as you can reach. This is mine." Eichirou did the same. However, his was over twice as far. "See the difference?"

"Yeah," Hajime nodded. "But I still think keeping a hand free would be more useful. I still have to test that suggestion you gave me the other day."

"Going for versatility, I see. Not a bad choice. Just be careful though. Wouldn't want your free hand to get chopped off."

Hajime chuckled at the joke while Eichirou resumed to studying his weapon.

Meld couldn't help but agree with the warning though. Many thought it best to fight with a shield. Not only did it protect you, it could keep one from losing a limb forever. Living with one is hard enough, fighting would be for dear life. And no matter how strong the healing spell, no one could regrow limbs.

But the choice of versatility piqued Meld's curiosity. What exactly would Hajime use as a backup? He only had a sword equipped. Would it be magic? Meld guessed he would see later.

"Have you found what you like yet?" After enough time to rest and equip the boys with some light protective gear, Meld got up and placed a hand on a target. He signaled Alan to do the same for another. "If you have, then let's see how you do. Hajime, I see you stuck with the sword. Come give this guy a swing. Eichirou, Alan will be checking yours."

Meld tapped the target and took a few paces away to allow Hajime some room.

"When you're ready."

Hajime looked at the target and got a running start. He swung down with a cry,

"HAAAAAA—" THUNCK "Eh?!"

Only to bounce back as soon as his blade made contact.

"You swung the blade wrong," Meld assessed the strawman's shoulder which had a dent but nothing more. "When you attack, make sure you keep the edge at the same angle as your swing."

Hajime nodded and tried again.

THUNK

THUNK

CHINK

After a few more attempts of changing his grip, the boy landed a cut deep enough for half the blade to sink in but not pass through.

"Good. The cut works as well. It didn't punch through since you didn't have enough Strength, but this will do."

"Haaah, I guess I really can't rely on my stats with this one." The boy sighed in defeat. He made to smile but Meld didn't think he was trying to be funny at all.

"Don't let it get you down," the Knight spoke up and gave the boy a pat on the back. "Even if you didn't land a clean hit, it's better to know that you didn't bounce off it again. Any newbie worth their salt would appreciate being able to cut than to not be able to do squat."

He tried to tell the boy he could still do better. Honestly, he was lying. The other Apostles had managed to either cut or smash clean through a target with even a staff. To have someone bounce off with a blade on wood was embarrassing to say the least, but 'not saying' was not 'lying'.

He really meant what he said. He just hoped the boy understood that.

KUSHEK

"Oh! Wonderful strike, Yamamoto-sama."

The spear he was given was approximately his height. That was the distance between Eichirou and his target. The spear tip had pierced the head exactly in the center. A few cuts to the straw marked his earlier grazing attempts.

"It still took me seven tries, Alan-san." The boy humbly replied while pulling the weapon out and checking for damages. "I still need to practice getting it right."

"That may be the case, Yamamoto-sama, but you already have the form down. Are you sure this really is the first time you've held a spear?"

"Curious, isn't it?" the boy said jokingly. "I've never had to practice learning how to use these weapons in our world. And yet, this somehow feels… familiar."

Eichirou's voice didn't tell any lies, or any Meld could have noticed. Instead, it was filled with genuine awe and curiosity. Soon, he returned to his stance. And Meld had to agree with Alan. His posture and the way he held the weapon was that of a trained soldier. The only difference was that he was sweating like crazy at the simple practice thrusts.

"Meld-san, I'm ready."

"Alright," Meld returned his attention to his charge. Watching Eichirou must've lit a competitive spark in Hajime as he saw fire in those eyes. "When you're ready."

THUNK

"Again"

CHINK

KUSHEK

The sound of wood getting sliced and pierced reverberated the training area for quite some time. After a while, the two had gotten used to their newly selected weapons, Eichirou catching on fast and Nagumo slowly following behind.

"Okay, now that you know the basics," Meld signaled his men to clean up the field. "Let's see how you fare in an actual fight. Reed."

"Sir?" The man he called responded. Hajime recognized him as the soldier who guided him and Endou to the library on the day they got Status Plates.

"You take on Hajime. Use a practice short sword and show him how it's done. Also, be on the offensive."

"Understood," the man stepped up while picking up a wooden blade. His passive expression was now sharpened and ready for combat. It had the boy unsettled for a few seconds until he had prepared himself. "Nagumo-sama, are you ready?"

"Eh, wait!" Hajime stuttered as he noticed something. "You're going to use a wooden one? Then shouldn't I—?"

"No need for that, Hajime," Meld replied in his subordinate's steed. "My men aren't so inexperienced as to practice with dull blades. Your training is the same as his, except where you are practicing how to use a weapon, Reed is training how to restrain his strength."

"But…"

"No need to worry, Nagumo-sama." Reed spoke. His serious face momentarily replaced by an assured smile. "I'm confident in my skills to avoid serious injury. Please, do not worry over me."

"And besides, Alan here is good with healing magic."

"Just a little, Commander," the young soldier replied humbly to Meld's claim. "I can heal minor wounds but I can't compare to a Priest."

"So Commander Meld says," Reed sighed at his colleague's response. "Now, Nagumo-sama, are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Then," the man lowered his posture, before suddenly stepping forward. "Have at you!"

"Guoh!"

Nagumo jumped to the side. Had he not, the wooden blade would have slapped his cheek. Reed took a step back, reasserted his posture, then attacked again. Being slow on his recovery, Nagumo ended up wildly swinging the blade sideways to knock away the attack and rolling again.

It wasn't to last, however. On his fourth try to dodge the incoming Reed, the knight attacked again instead of falling back. The shock of being pressed on caused the boy to trip backwards.

_"Transmute!"_

"Woah!"

Jumping back from the sudden flash of light, Reed avoided the hole that split open beneath his left foot. Eyeing the split's source, Hajime's free hand glowed on contact with the ground. Had the knight stayed, his posture would have collapsed.

"Clever move," Reed complimented the boy as he took the opportunity to get back up. The hole remained but didn't change further once Hajime relinquished his skill on the ground. "However, Nagumo-sama, how long can you keep up the cheap tricks?"

"Uwah!" Hajime ducked away from the incoming mid-swing. Before he had time to react, the knight was already pressing him once more with a thrust. Hajime had to roll twice over to escape being skewered to the ground. "Woah! Aren't you too persistent?!"

"Meld-sama ordered me to be aggressive. My guess is he probably wants to see how you cope."

The polite reply was given behind a few more swings aimed at squashing Hajime on the dirt. Jumping to his feet, Hajime was forced to jump over a low swing aimed to take out his legs. He dived again near Reed's legs and struck the ground with his free hand.

_"Transmute!"_

"Again—What the—?!"

Instead of a hole, Hajime transmuted a pillar to envelope Reed's legs. The earth burst forth and wrapped itself around like a living stone snake. In the moment of surprise, Hajime had the knight's lower torso wrapped in rock.

"Haaah…" Out of breath, Hajime smiled. "Got you!"

"Not quite."

The boy's expression turned from relief to shock as Reed reversed his grip on the wooden sword and struck his prison. The rock cracked, and with a tug, Reed broke free to bring his weapon to bear.

The first bout ended with the wooden sword a Hajime's throat, dented by stone and covered in dust that the boy's rolls and skill threw up.

"Pfft…"

"Is something wrong, Yamamoto-sama?"

"No, no, Alan-san." Eichirou snickered as he reassured the knight. "I just remembered something from my world. Something about constantly rolling to escape death. It's a joke a rare few of us from Earth know."

Alan didn't know what to make of it and didn't bother. A joke from another world wasn't really his business to understand.

"Well done, Hajime." From the side, Meld ignored Alan and Eichirou as he nodded his approval. "You did better than I expected."

"Eh? All I did was roll though." The boy replied sounding disappointed. "The only damage I've done is probably dirty Reed-san's boots and pants."

"Not so," Reed disagreed. "You managed to stun me long enough to escape. Quite an ingenious way to use your class. I'm impressed."

"Had you not fallen exhausted at the end, you could probably win through surprise and ambush." The commander nodded approvingly. "You may have lacked the strength to continue, but as a novice facing off against a trained soldier, you chose to run, escape, and fight smart instead of facing him head-on. You know when the fight is lost and chose to at least try to survive."

The boy didn't seem to get why that was important. It took his fellow Apostle explaining for him to understand why Meld found the boy's mindset to be in the right direction.

"Meld means to say that 'it is better to avoid a fight you can't win'. He prefers you save yourself rather than stupidly taking on an impossible challenge. 'Value your life' so to speak."

"Eichirou's right on that. Now," Meld turned to face the two audience members. "Alan, your turn. Use _your_ spear this time."

"Sir."

The man saluted and disappeared behind in the barracks. Upon returning, Eichirou's jaw dropped.

"Oh, come on. What the hell? Why does Hajime get to face a practice blade but I get the real deal?"

Stepping up next to Meld, Alan's spear thudded on the ground by the rear tip. The sharp long blade at the other end gleamed sharply under the morning sun. The owner of the weapon simply scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well, that's because you have a bit of talent behind yours," Meld smiled but there was a hint of mischievousness. "And you seem to understand my point already, so why don't you demonstrate it for Hajime?"

"You're joking?"

With Meld not responding and Alan already moving to one side of the field, Eichirou was left to stomp his way to his side.

"Commander," Reed spoke up next to him with Hajime close by. "Are you sure about this?"

"Eichirou showed such skill in practice." Meld stared at the boy as he readied himself on the field. All the while, he spoke quietly. It wasn't that he didn't want Hajime to overhear, but rather he didn't want Eichirou to. "If he has talent, we should give him the opportunity to hone it. If, after this, he doesn't wish to partake in weapons and combat training, then we will just continue with physical sessions instead."

"Was that because of Princess Liliana's request?" Hajime asked to which Meld nodded.

"Mostly, yes. However I only opted for this kind of training to check if Eichirou is prepared for the worst. There are many more threats to you all outside the palace besides devils and monsters."

Hajime made a face that said he didn't understand. Meld didn't expect him to, though. The only one he expected it from was the boy preparing his stance opposite one of his best spear-using subordinates.

All the while, he noticed a single pair of eyes observed from afar.

* * *

The grinding of teeth would've been heard had the owner of said gaze wasn't alone. It didn't stay for long, however. The observer immediately took their leave the moment they spied Meld looking in their direction.

The Knight Commander was perceptive. But it didn't matter so long as no one was really there when Meld checked the area. It chose a secluded place to peak from, one with no guards on duty. However, it didn't really care what Meld would think if they were caught observing in the first place. There was nothing wrong with being curious. The only thing the observer thought was wrong was the attention being given to the boy.

To Yamamoto Eichirou.

_First the King, then the Princess, after that the Court Mage. Now it was the Knight Commander._

The spy contemplated what they've gathered. Information was key. But observing from a distance was all they could do. Getting close was dangerous. If anyone found out what they were doing, they needed to get rid of them, quietly. That couldn't apply to someone as prominent as Meld Loggins.

_Must knock him down before he gets anymore support._

* * *

"Are you ready, Yamamoto-sama?"

"Come at me already!"

"As you wish!"

Sounding slightly irritated, Eichirou called out the knight who gladly obliged. With a low thrust to his feet, Alan aimed to trip Eichirou as he moved to respond. Unfortunately for Alan, a sweep to the boy's right from the low-pointed spear knocked the attempt aside. He repeated another low stab again, but Yamamoto knocked it aside to his left this time.

Unable to trip him, Alan recovered and took a step back. He then assessed Eichirou's stance. He kept the point centered while aiming at Alan. With his tip pointed low, the knight struck forward, aiming for a mid-thrust.

"Guh!"

Receiving the blow with his weapon's shaft, Eichirou stepped forward and let the thrust slide to his left harmlessly, guided by the boy's own spearhead. Countering, the rear tip of his weapon nearly pommeled Alan in the face had he not raised his armored elbow to take the blow. Taking a step back, Alan checked for damages. A small dent was clear on the metal but didn't break the vambraces.

"Nicely done, Yamamoto-sama."

Eichirou didn't reply. Instead, he recovered his posture. Legs spread by the shoulder width with the right foot forward. His left hand holding the shaft of the spear center mass while the right held near the rear end for balance. The tip was still pointed as a middle guard towards Alan.

The knight took the challenging glare as he aimed again for a thrust at Eichirou's midsection. This time, he kicked off with all his legs could give, forcing a swift lunge. This came close with his spearhead approaching the boy's abdomen but was parried by a right sweep. Then, Eichirou counter attacked. Taking one step forward with his left, the spear tip was suddenly enroute to Alan's face. Or rather, it was in his way due to his own lunge.

THWACK

"What the—?!"

The knight had pulled a sudden stop at the last second and thrown his shaft in front of his path, knocking Eichirou's spear tip skyward with a resounding crack. He quickly moved his left arm back and right arm up to pivot a downward strike. The spear was swung down like a club. With the weapon's reach and the suddenly closed distance, the shaft was in a clear path aimed at the top of Eichirou's head.

But the boy saw it coming.

Before Alan could make contact, Eichirou quickly twisted his own body to the right. His right hand held tightly on his spear that it joined him in his rotation.

"Wha—?!" Alan cried in shock, unable to pull away his heavy downward strike.

"Eat this!"

WOOSH THWACK

With his body as the fulcrum, and Alan knocking the spear upward as leverage, Eichirou twisted his body so that the seemingly light weapon swung sideward. Th black hardwood's shaft cracked sharply on the knight's metal-knuckled gloves, canceling Alan's descending swing as well as disarming him.

Not missing a beat, Eichirou tugged the spear's shaft by its middle point, returned his right hand and the rear tip to beside his waist and stepped forward once more. The tip had Alan by the apple, a few inches or maybe one step forward, and Yamamoto could have permanently silenced the knight.

"It's my loss."

Alan, out of breath, had his arms raised in surrender. Eichirou, however, didn't move a muscle and kept his stance forward. His spear still threatening the knight's throat.

"WELL DONE!" Meld shouted as he approached the two spear-wielders, clapping as he broke the two from their post-battle calm. "Well done, Eichirou! I was right to have Alan go in armed—!"

CLANG

The spear tip which had dropped from Alan's throat was then pointed towards the Knight Commander's own face. As if reacting by instinct, Reed had drawn his own real blade and blocked the attack while pushing away his commander. Now he was locked in place with Yamamoto's spear tip pushing down on his sword's center mass.

"Yamamoto-sama?!"

"Oy, Eichirou-kun!"

Before Alan could reach him, Nagumo had gotten close and pulled Eichirou back. The sudden opposite force to counter his weight threw off any force he placed on the spear away from Reed.

"Hey, snap out of it! Eichirou-kun? Eichirou!"

"Gaaah… Haaah… Haaah… What… What the—?!" He asked, confused. He was breathing wildly. His previous composure was gone. It threw everyone off as just a moment ago, he had been so close to injuring two knights. "What… the fuck just happened?!... Haaah… Haaah… What… Haaah… What did I do?"

"Eh?"

""…""

Neither of the knights responded. Nagumo looked just as confused as he did. Meld was the first to regain his composure.

"Eichirou." The boy snapped his attention to the man. All form of hostility was lost, replaced by a panic Meld had seen only with new recruits experiencing their first battle. "First, let go of your spear."

CLANG

He did as he was told.

"Now, I need you to breath. Breathe and calm your mind."

He did so as well. First it was a fast one. After exhaling, he took a second and deeper one. On the fifth, he was back to the calm, collected pace he usually had.

"Better?"

"Yeah… Ugh!" A hand rushed up to his head. For a second, Meld thought he was in pain, but soon, he was back to normal. "Sorry about that, Meld, Reed. I guess the adrenaline went to my head."

"'Adrenaline'?"

"Ah, right. Your science hasn't caught up to that yet." With both hands to his face, wiping away cold sweat, Eichirou spoke normally, all traces of panic gone. "Think of it as something your body produces to keep your head focused in a fight. Our world calls that phero— that thing 'adrenaline'."

The knights didn't argue with that. A scientific fact from another, more advanced world might as well be a mystical ailment to them. But they didn't relax their guard.

"Does that mean you'll stop attacking the commander?" Reed kept his sword out. It wasn't pointed anywhere but the ground, but he didn't sheathe it yet.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back to normal after a little rest."

"What causes such a thing," Meld responded. "If you don't mind me asking?"

As a commander, it was part of his duty to be notified about things that could affect his men. But even more than that, he wondered what could send a normally calm kid into a fright that would cause his allies to be indistinguishable from his foes.

"Ah, in emergency cases, adrenaline affects those who get the _need to act_. Like a minor push to do things as soon as possible. Think 'suddenly jumping in front of a horse to save a kid from being trampled when you were just standing still a second ago'. It's similar to that. But for people like me who rarely has to do things with that kind of rush, we tend to go overboard or get confused on what to do." He looked to Meld as he spoke. "Suddenly shouting when I just did what I did jumped me to attacking you as well."

Not a hint of a lie. If anything, he sounded like he regretted it. Meld couldn't help but think back to the rest of his men that he had to approach and calm down after their first battle had ended. Seeing the similarities and comparing it to Eichirou's depiction, it seemed to make some sense.

"Reed, put away your sword." The man did so while Meld approached the kid, the boy, and placed a hand on his shoulders. The calm was there, but his hands still shook. "Sorry about that. I guess I really did go overboard with you two today."

"Heh, no kidding." Yamamoto looked his way but didn't see him. Instead, he probably saw what he almost did to the Knight Commander's face. "I'll be fine as long as I get some rest. Don't tell me you're gonna make me run laps after."

The boy's smile was one that was fighting the shock. Admirable, but it betrayed his maturity. Meld still saw a child that didn't know what else to do other than fake being alright. And he may have felt slightly guilty for having put the boy in such a situation in the first place.

"Alan, help bring him back to his room. Reed, have the men clean up."

""Sir.""

"I'll tell Liliana-sama that I've complied with her request." The two went to work, but before Alan and Hajime could leave with Eichirou on their shoulders, Meld added. "I'll see to it that she knows of your current condition and have her get someone to attend to you."

Eichirou seemed to turn white at that but he still joked.

"I wonder who'll be in a bigger pickle, you who went overboard or me who got into an even worse state than before."

"Rest assured about that, Eichirou." Meld smiled. "Liliana-ojousama is a hardworking child willing to personally take care of those she feels responsible for."

It turned Eichirou into an even whiter shade, but it wasn't for the reasons Meld had assumed.

So their morning ended without any more incident.

* * *

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggghhhhhh…"

"Please hold still, Yamamoto-sama."

"Aaaagh, ugh, aaaaagh, ugh…"

"Please refrain from making too much noise. I can't… won't be able to concentrate."

"Sorry about that, Iselda—ugh—san. I'll try and lower my voice."

"Thank you, Yamamoto-sama."

Well, this was embarrassing.

Here I was, laid down on my bed, topless, as a beautiful maid tends to my aching muscles. Sounds like a hot scene, right? Wrong!

I couldn't move. At all!

My hands had gone limp as soon as Meld ordered me to let the spear go. My legs, shoulder, and waist all felt like they were on fire. And my back, oooooh, my back. It felt like I jumped off of a four-story building, snagged on a few clotheslines, whacked onto several fire escape ladders, then finally slammed into a car parked at the bottom. Kinda makes me pity the professionals that have to do stuff like this in movies. If this were an action filming set, I should get paid double or an added health care bonus.

Suddenly being able to spear-fight like a professional didn't mean my body could keep up with the fancy footwork and quick, jerking movements. That was a problem with my body's conditioning. I did exercise, maybe once in a while, but never to the scale that I could twist my body to swing a long pole in under a second, let alone that move I did to deflect a spear.

In the first place, how the hell was I able to do all that?! Since when was I an experienced spear user? Never. That was fact. I know me, I can attest to it. Being able to do crazy shit is crazier when you never knew you _could_ do it.

I noticed I blanked out when I grabbed the spear but remember every detail when I handled it. Like I was me but not at the same time. That made the crazier shit into batshit retarded.

"Yamamoto-sama, I'm done now. Should I get anything? Or call someone to keep you company while you rest? Liliana-sama, perhaps?"

I shuddered at the thought. She wouldn't take this lying down. She was already busy with something and it was why Iselda was here and not her. Great news, sure, but it was still bad if she worried more for it.

Yet, she had _suggested_ the exercise that got me like this. Not the method, but still. That girl would take responsibility and most likely go overboard. Better to avoid that for a lot of the obvious reasons, especially so that she doesn't take it to heart.

"NO!" My sudden shout of answer was muffled by the sheets, sparing me from shocking the maid. "Ah, no need for that. I wouldn't want to bother the Princess. Not when she might be busy."

"Are you sure, Yamamoto-sama? Would one of your fellow Apostles be alright then?"

And risk getting Hatayama-sensei on my case again? HELL the fuck NO!

"Just some water and lunch will be fine, Iselda-san. I don't have anything scheduled with Liliana for today and the others should be busy with their own things. I think it's better if I could just rest alone for a while."

She nodded and quickly left to fetch my meal. It was just about noon, maybe a little after, but it would be fine to leave me be for a while as I was banned from the library, my only other bastion besides my room. That left me alone on my bed. And with no one around, that was good.

I summoned what strength I had remaining in my arms, grabbed my coat off the edge of the bed, and took out the plate.

"Status, open," I said so in almost a whisper. Once the screen glowed with results, my eyes narrowed at the changes. "Well, that explained it."

* * *

Name - Yamamoto Eichirou | Age - 18 Years Old

Gender - Male | Level - 2

Class -

Strength - 15 | Vitality - 15

Resistance - 225 | Agility - 20

Magic - 300 | Magic Resistance - 275

Skills:

· Language Comprehension

· Living Encyclopedia of Another World

\- Combat Arts

o Quarterstaff

o Spear

o Sword

· Appraisal

* * *

My stats had gone up. Greatly too. It was probably due to the magic practices we've been having. But the more appalling thing was the additional entries to the mystery skill I had no idea how to use.

So this was how I learned to use a spear so damn fast.

I watched action movies. Mom liked watching Jackie so much that we as kids got into it as well. I know the staff could be used in such a way, but I had never tried going so far as to emulate it! Swinging the damn thing was dangerous, and I was already terrified at giving my brother a black eye. Getting grounded from action films with a scolding from mom was triple the negatives!

I also never went to martial arts classes. Well, not the ones that use weapons. Hand-to-hand was basically reserved for self-defense, or if anyone wants to try and get frisky with my little sister. I would show them how to get frisky with their own nuts after I jam their heads up their— Ahem.

Anyway, not a fan of weapons. So this _should_ explain how I was able to use the spear. The question now was 'How does the skill work?'.

At the time, when Meld asked us to select weapons, I was thinking to myself 'do I really want to pick one up?'. I had to run several laps already. Even if it was an order from Lady Liliana, there was no way I could pull off a sudden workout with an accompanying weapon training. Hence why I was reluctant to comply.

But as soon as I got to the table, my curiosity got the better of me. How wouldn't I? There were stuff you only saw behind glass panes at the museums. Even if you were given the chance to touch one of those antiques, swinging them around for a test run was a big no-no. Also, dad would've had my head if I tried playing around with exhibits owned by institutes he sponsored, but I digress.

Meld was just following Liliana's orders so I had no other option than to cooperate. At least I could humor him by picking one and going for a few practice swings. The gear was all cool to look at. So I grabbed one up and thought to myself 'how does one use this thing?'…—!

I jumped off the bed, landed face first on the floor, picked myself up and immediately grabbed the small knife-like object hidden in the drawer.

_"Appraisal, letter opener."_

The rush of information was uncomfortable, but what I needed.

Stainless steel it was not. But the quality was still top-class. More on beauty but it didn't have to be used for anything other than slicing open letter envelopes. Ideal for the use of nobility. The blade was half a foot long. Hilt, porcelain and inlaid with some gold and brass, was handled by one of the finest of craftsmen from the west. The blade was thin, but it could serve to do more than slicing open envelopes.

It was a potential dagger.

I then thought about how to use it. The obvious came to mind. Slip it under a flap and slice open the paper. Easy, right?

I shook my head and dug deeper, looking for other potential uses.

Come on! Think. Think! Where else would I use this thing?

In emergencies!

Self-defense was plausible. I focused on that.

Slowly, my hands moved along the tool, pinching the blade between my fingers. Slowly, I moved down the hilt.

Blocking is a no. Stabbing. How does one stab with a knife?

Immediately, my grip on the hilt turned into a back hand. My right hand held the knife deftly, as if I had done so for years. My left hovered as if to intercept an incoming fist. My posture suddenly fell low.

Before I realized it, I had bent my knees and was positioned in a stance that had my left-hand block before my body and my right with the knife held behind me above my head, ready to strike. Though I felt the muscle pangs, my shoulder blades bunched up as the knife hovering above me seemed ready to carry my full body weight for a swing in a moment's notice.

I could swing down on those foolish to approach. I could intercept close range jabs or other knife thrusts and trap the assailants hand. I could also use a feint and switch to a left-hand punch then end it with a stab to the neck.

Suddenly, I thought about ranged attacks. What if the enemy was farther than this simple letter opener's reach? I couldn't just jump to them, so what did I do with this flimsy utensil?

The answer was clear. I should throw it. It would buy time, at least distract them before they noticed me rush them in.

Unexpectedly, my blocking hand was lowered and the knife was brought down. My grip slid from the hilt down to the blade tip and now, I had the damn thing held before me, ready to fly off as soon as I swung forward. I hadn't done so ever before, but there was a strange confidence that if I did, I could land it square on the center of my reflection's head in the mirror a few meters away.

_A killing blow._

I snapped out of the stance in terror and returned to normal, weak-kneed me. It was a painful trip to the floor as I fell squat on my rear, drained once again at the sudden movement. The letter opener harmlessly skidded across the floor as I dropped it, just a letter opener once more. But the panic that sudden thought gave me didn't abate just yet.

Breathe deep. Just breathe. Hold it. Release. Calm? Good.

I looked at my hands, then back to the reflection of the mirror. Beads of sweat escaped me, but not from exhaustion. This was a different feeling.

It was fear.

Fear of the sudden killing intent I myself released while I held the blade in my hands. There was a weird sense of self-assurance that came out of nowhere. It was like I could actually use the thing as a weapon. Not just to protect myself.

But to kill.

"Status, open," not sparing a second more to bemoan that killer confidence, I held the artifact until it touched my glasses' frame. "So _that's_ how it works."

The stats didn't change one bit, but there was under skills.

* * *

Skills:

· Language Comprehension

· Living Encyclopedia of Another World

\- Combat Arts

o Dagger

o Quarterstaff

o Spear

o Sword

o Throwing Knives

· Appraisal

* * *

So the skill 'Living Encyclopedia' allows me to learn the actual combat art as long as I have the tool and the intent to learn. And it's all ingrained instincts, hence my body's struggled to keep up when I use them. The muscles don't learn without practice. Even more so when the information was just copied and pasted into my head like text on paper.

In short, 'Wanna learn, grab a spear. Poof, you're not a newbie anymore'.

Huh. Isn't that useful.

_Useful, yes. But is it worth it?_

My inner voice thought. I could use weapons as long as I strongly desired to do so. But was it really worth it to feel that way again? To feel alright with taking a life?

The feeling came out of nowhere. Like I had been a seasoned veteran at the job. It was the only description to my state of mind as I held the weapons. Not just the letter opener but the spear as well. Like I had done so for years.

When I held it and practiced with it, it felt like I had done so time and time before. But that was the first time I had wielded one with the intent of piercing a target.

During the fight with Alan, when he started getting more aggressive, I felt the need to push back. To strike at the man who held a weapon that _could _harm me. And when I was countered, I lost myself in the heat of battle even before I could process that my move had failed. And that bit of suddenly stabbing at Meld? Only because he shouted. No. That wasn't adrenaline. That was me panicking and reacting to what I felt as another threat.

If my instincts with weapons were only acting on my perception of a threat, wouldn't that make it deadly if I was suddenly jumped with a knife in hand? I could end up killing someone like that. Even worse, I would do so without meaning to.

I began to sweat even more.

I didn't want to kill. Get the hell out of here and leave Ishtar and his zealots to fend for themselves, sure. But I didn't want to _directly take a life._ I almost did that to Meld.

What would I do if I suddenly lost it and started attacking the others?

_Calm down. You won't lose yourself._

Forget getting home alive. If I keep panicking every now and then and overreacting with a club to their face or a pole to their chest, I would probably become a serial killer! And if I did get back home, what would happen if I was stuck in _that_ state? My friends? My family?

They'd be in danger, no doubt.

_They won't. I'll protect them!_

All because of me.

_ENOUGH!_

My hands covered my mouth as I stifled a scream. I tried to get a grip on my breathing again.

"Haaah… Ugh—!"

And failed coughing. I tried again.

Breathe deep. Hold it. And… release.

_Calm down._

Breathe deep. Hold it. And… release.

_Process it._

Breathe deep. Hold it. And… release.

_Nothing's happened yet. _

Last one. Breathe deep… Hold it... And… release…

.

.

.

_That's it. Calm? Good._

This skill only posed a threat to Meld when I panicked. I shouldn't panic. Not now. Not ever. Doing so is the same as letting it happen.

_I shouldn't rely on this skill too much._

Such was the new goal added to my list of priorities.

_If I need to use it, so be it. But I will NOT rely on it._

If this skill was able to turn meek, silent me into a skilled fighter, that was helpful in many ways. I could be capable of protecting myself and others when I need to. But if I had to give up my current state of mind during a moment of panic for it? No martial art or skill would make it worth losing my sanity.

I want to go home.

_If I didn't, people I care about would be sad._

But I want to do so while still normal.

_Otherwise, they would all get hurt._

But if I don't use it, it would be such a waste.

_I could die early without it as well._

What should I do…?

_I need to think…_

.

.

.

Fuck. I'm too distracted. Calm down!

_If I don't come up with a plan or make my mind up, this'll be a problem!_

That thought scared me.

KNOCK KNOCK

"UGH—OW!" I jumped, startled and in pain. "Who—ahem. Who is it?"

"Endou. You alright, man?"

"Oh, Kousuke, huh," I sighed in relief and got off my ass. I glanced at the mirror to check if my current state was ok and sat back down on the bed, still sweating heavily. There was no changing it now. The best I could do was mask my panic and act normal. "Come in."

"Yo. I came to check up on—woah," he looked me up and down as soon as he got in the door. Under his heavy bangs of a plain face, I saw eyes of genuine surprise. "You look tired."

"You don't say?" I replied with a weak smile, trying to sound sarcastic to mask my half-rattled state. "I feel like I fell off a horse with my foot still tied to the saddle and my back skidding off horseshit and stones."

"That's an oddly detailed description." He smirked, expecting me to joke.

"Eh, well. At least _that_ time, I got my foot free after a few seconds and only suffered for thirty minutes."

His smirked vanished.

"I'm kidding, man."

"Ha? You—… Haaah," he sighed in relief. Then chose payback in the most non-violent way possible. "Jackass."

"Yeah, well," I smiled back. "You believed me anyway, gullible idiot."

He looked like he wanted to punch me in the shoulder, but seeing my deplorable state, he refrained from exerting too much on me.

"Then, mind explaining what got you into such a mess?"

No harm in giving him the gist of it, but I omitted the fear, paranoia, and sudden change in my Status Plate. It wasn't that I didn't trust him. I did, more than I did before I met him. But it wasn't enough to say I trusted him with my life. I can't just talk about this with anyone.

Had it been family, maybe I would've relied on their help. But Kousuke and I were just recently strangers. He might think I'm off my rocker and it would be bad since I already told him about my plans of leaving the Kingdom. If he knew I wasn't feeling confident about it, he might dissuade me from leaving entirely. I should keep it from going that far. I still planned on finding the answer to a way home away from this place. This… nightmare.

I did have to tell him the thing about almost skewering Meld though. I can't lie about that. Otherwise, the inconsistency would raise questions.

"Didn't know you were such a wuss." He joked.

"Har har, let's laugh at the guy who nearly pissed his pants in a 'practice' that just so happened to involve bladed weapons." I tried throwing my pillow at him, but it fell short. "Shut up, man. I nearly had a heart attack."

It was more than that, but let's not worry him further.

"But seriously, Eichirou," buying the mask, he picked it back up and tossed it in the bed before taking a seat on a nearby chair. "You're lucky you didn't actually make a shish kebab out of Meld-san. If you did, I doubt even the king would be able to forgive you."

"The guy's pretty much the only one the king trusts with the army." I agreed. "He's also a responsible guy for keeping an eye on everyone during training."

It was a good thing that it was Meld. I may not trust the guy wholeheartedly, especially after that dick move with practice, but I sure as hell prefer the chivalrous knight over some religious zealot. Not to be a dick to Amanogawa… no wait, actually, to be an absolute dick to the gullible Amanogawa Kouki, the class wouldn't last long if their symbol of leadership began to blindly believe pious bullshit. The way he kept staring at me up till now also spoke of his determination, in this case, to get me to join them. Or maybe he was homo. Who am I to judge?

But since the guy drowned in his own righteousness, it was difficult to argue with him on the matter of the war. I am strongly against it. He sees me as wrong and would sooner or later ask again. Probably. The guy was persistent and had his heart in the right direction. Too bad his head is useless, minus the pretty face.

It made him easy to manipulate. Just carry a banner that said you were right, or fought for justice, either idealistic crap would work just as easily as the other, and he would drag everyone all to hell in a heartbeat. He already _did_ too, what with him volunteering like a fool.

At least Meld has kept them all mostly safe and in line. If he had been like another Ishtar, I may have gone ignored since the beginning and the others on their way to the devil's capital city.

Thank Anima, or whatever god out there besides Ehito, am I right?

A side note, I would rather praise Earth's fictional pantheons than bow to this prick who can't even have his own people resolve their problems. Frigging Buddha got a whole continent to chill and learn to let live by sitting under a tree. The hell was this pretty-faced dick wad doing?

I lost myself in the internal rant. I even forgot what I was stressing over just a few minutes ago.

"Don't you mean 'responsible for training us'?" Kousuke suddenly asked. "Aren't you going to join us starting tomorrow?"

"Not sure about that one." I never really agreed to it. I was only in it to humor Liliana. The physical training… I'll admit, was a necessary respite to keep me from losing my head in depression. But the weapons? I wasn't so sure I wanted to feel _that_ again so soon. "I'll think about it though."

Kousuke nodded, leaving the choice to me. Huh, for a guy who surprisingly liked to tease, he really knew when to stop pushing buttons. Before I could thank him, however, he pulled out a letter from his pocket.

"What's this? Confession letter?" I teased.

"Not unless it was the Royal Family inviting you over."

That wiped my smile off my face. Was it Liliana? Did I really land her interests so hard that the king wants to adopt me? Shit! That's no joke! I can't be tied down now!

"I'm joking." Endou said, interrupting my already frantic mind. "It's the invitation for a party."

"A party?" I asked as I unfolded the piece of paper. True enough, the fine cursive writing and signature all spoke of a ball by the invitation of the Royal Family. "'A gathering to welcome the arrival of the Apostles to be attended by the noble families and officers of the realm'. Our introduction to the country's aristocracy then?"

Ah, politics. Ugh. I hated these things. All the plastic expressions, empty praises, and aristocratic platitudes you had to endure.

"Seems so," Kousuke nodded. "The Head Maid passed us these letters after we ate. I volunteered to pass you yours."

"Aw, how sweet of you," I mocked him for his kindness, but he knew I meant nothing for it other than to joke around. "You didn't need to go that far for me, y'know?"

"I wouldn't. Except," he paused. Then, after shaking his head, decided it wasn't worth mentioning. "No, never mind."

"What's up?" curious, I asked.

"Hm… Did you do anything recently? To upset anyone, I mean?"

I pondered on it.

No. None. Except Ishtar, maybe. My existence was probably a stain to him and whatever he wants out of the class. But I didn't do anything aggressive these past few days. I mostly just helped Nagumo learn magic and entertain Liliana during our breaks. Not really anything to piss off a pope, is it?

Checking for any of the other prominent people in the palace, I came up blank.

"Nope. I've been pretty decent for the past few days. Why?"

"If you didn't, then it's fine. Could just be me misunderstanding things."

Dodging my question, Kousuke dismissed the topic entirely. I didn't think I could get anything more out of him so I dropped it as well. Checking through the letter once more, I noted the formal theme of the event as well as the appointed time.

"Wait, what? Tonight?!"

"Ah, right," Kousuke said. "Meld gave us the day free for us to prepare."

I groaned with envy. What the hell, Meld?! You choose to tucker me out on a day I need to keep up appearances? Then again, maybe he really didn't expect me to be this weak bodied in the first place. The damn skill also had a hand in it so Meld wasn't complicit in my situation.

Maybe I should skip—

"Oh, right," Kousuke suddenly jumped, remembering something. "The Princess' maid came asking about you."

"Eh? Why?"

"When I asked, she wanted to know whether it would be alright for you to escort Liliana-sama during the party." My inner voice went silent at that. "Should I tell her you can't make—"

"Tell her I'll be happy to oblige Lady Liliana's request."

"Eh? Are you sure?" Kousuke was surprised. Of course he was. I was about to do something stupid. Even as I moved towards the closet to grab the necessary attire, all he could do was try to stop me. "Weren't you just exhausted? Are you sure you'll be fine with escorting the princess?"

"Yeah, I should be fine." Brushing aside his arm on my shoulder, I nodded. "If it's just escort duty, then it's no worries."

Of course it _wasn't_ okay. But if I didn't show up, Liliana would find out why and feel guilty about my situation. Being the indirect cause, there was no way this wouldn't eat away at her. Being the responsible kid that she was, it would probably lead to her getting all kinds of ideas to make up for it.

That was going to cause me more trouble than it was worth.

Firstly, it would trouble the girl. I appreciated her gesture to help. I really did. But the constant association with myself would be misleading. Not just to her, but the king and entire kingdom as well. I already ignored the classmates constantly pairing me with her, but that I could take. The Royal Family, however, I can't just mislead. That's a dangerous game.

I was already playing through the bluff, but it wouldn't make any sense to put my life in _even more_ danger!

Secondly, more of a byproduct of the first, nobles and the king would probably approach me as I have such a close relationship to the princess. I haven't seen her have much contact among the others even after the whole week I've been with her. That was probably _because_ of me. That detached relationship with the hero and other companions would probably make me her anchor to the others. I don't like that implication one bit as that would put me responsible, in a sense, for the others.

Being responsible for my friends was fine. For Amanogawa and the rest? Ehito can fuck himself for having summoned _all of us_ at once.

Lastly, Ishtar would have something to nose about. As I deduced before, my relationship with Liliana was a double-edged sword. She had taken to my stories like the hungry given bread. If anyone misconstrued that, it could be taken as me brainwashing the poor girl. Such fodder would be like kindling to my stake. Or hers if she comes to defend me. Ishtar getting dirt on me was bad. For both our sakes.

How does escorting Liliana help with all that? It officializes our relationship.

"After all, it would be rude of me as an '_Apostle of Ehito_' to not honor the request of a friend who has welcomed us so."

I may have felt some vomit at the words, but I meant what I said.

A friend.

That's right. Liliana was a friend to us Apostles. And I had to convince everyone, _everyone_, of that.

If I'm given the opportunity, I should guide her to mingle with the others. It wouldn't do for me to be her _only_ friend. Maybe Shirasaki and Yaegashi for starters. Their popularity of the two would practically gravitate the others to them if they become best friends. But they would probably be swarmed by suitors though. I had already heard from the others that Prince Lundel, Liliana's little brother, has been eyeing Shirasaki. Adorable. Good luck with that, little one.

Maybe Ayako and Mao instead, seeing as they could become fast friends. Nakamura was fine, but I should keep Liliana away from Taniguchi. At least, until Nakamura can weed out the perverted old man form the diminutive girl. Hatayama-sensei and the female side of her fan club should be able to assist too.

I should keep her away from Amanogawa, though. He could infect her and I don't like to entertain the idea of the pretty boy whitewashing Liliana's already impressive personality with his bland and blatantly skewed one.

Kousuke, unable to dissuade me, just sat back down and observed as I organized the attire available. He probably wanted to say something but knew that he couldn't change my mind now that I made my choice. So instead, he opted to ask a different question.

"Eichirou."

"Hm?" I kept my hands busy selecting suits and checking if they matched the coats. "What's up?"

"Where did you learn how to dress up so properly? Were your parents into fashion or something?"

"Fashion? Pffft…"

I snickered at the thought of mom readying her own dress. Nope. Never happening. The woman wasn't even able to properly prep herself for her own wedding. I doubt she would even know what a proper 'suit and tie' event was. Ah, Kousuke started looking confused. Better explain.

"No, no. Our family didn't really dabble much in fashion. Just that my dad used to meet some pretty well-off businessmen for parties so I had to get used to prepping myself for those kinds of events."

No matter my age, I still had to look the part as his son. Honestly, I didn't enjoy those shorts and overall straps before. Never wearing them again. A coat and vest were more my style anyway.

"Hmmm. No wonder you looked so comfortable in a suit." He commented before asking bluntly. "So you're rich? Is that why you're used to maids?"

"This again?" I smiled evasively. "Why can't you just walk up and talk to one?"

"…" He looked away from me. This was his 'silent explanation' mode. It usually meant one sentence: 'I can't do it.' Still, he didn't seem to want to let up.

He really was interested in this. I didn't mind talking about it, but the guys I was close to, Kousuke especially, were always badgering me how I was good to talking with maids. Perhaps it was because they found it difficult to do so.

But why would one be nervous when asking for assistance from someone who _should_ accommodate your request? It was _their job_, for goodness sake.

To be fair, I was just being polite to everyone in general, give or take a few exceptions. I was still suspicious of most but the façade had to be maintained through a consistent, well-mannered practice. A slip could paint me as an inferior to these people of high class. So I always kept to the teachings that my father drilled me when talking to important people. Polite in the face of the superior, compassionate to those beneath, defiant only when strongly against.

Pretty overboard for a child at age five, maybe. But it took a while, and after I got the hang of it, even dad was impressed. It wasn't really that hard. Despite their being so many kinds of people, there were many things they could all share and accept as a friendly gesture. Like smile and wave.

"Just try talking to one." I egged him. "It isn't all that hard. Just ask for directions or something if you want to get used to them."

"Eh?" His expression said that he didn't get it. "But… is that all?"

Really now, it's like convincing Kentarou-kun and Ayako-san to get along well after they argue. What did he find so hard about speaking up? He and I got along just fine. Or maybe that was more on my part but come on. Also, Jugo could converse with maids well. He just needed to learn eye-contact. Hajime, on the other hand, needed to learn to some restraint. Even the librarian was slightly overwhelmed by his enthusiasm.

"Conversations are an exchange. You start by giving and they take it. Then it's their turn. Just repeat that. Should they not reply, then that's them being the rude one and you can leave them alone. Simple as that."

"It doesn't… seem simple."

"What? You _don't _want to talk to pretty girls?"

"…"

Ah, 'S.E. mode'. He _couldn't_. Just like Kentarou can't bring himself to be normal around Ayako. It's either fidgeting in silence or a pretty heated disagreement. Arranging the last part of my attire. I took a seat opposite him and sighed.

"Haaah, I'll be frank with you, man." I really couldn't be any blunter too. "Just talk to one. You might not feel confident now, sure. But if you keep acting like those male 'herbivores' I've been hearing about in the news recently, you probably won't get a girlfriend. Even here in Tortus."

"No—That's not what I—! That news is outdated!"

"Is it? Can you prove it?"

"…"

"Dude, chillax." I patted the guy on the shoulder. I'm topless, hot, and sweaty, him frantic, stuttering, and nervous. No homo. "If you keep letting yourself fade in the background, how else would you expect anyone to see you?"

The pretty foreigner-looking girls were probably too much for the teenage hornballs from Japan. But there really should be a limit to how meek they get. Seriously. Anymore, and the birth rate would plummet into negatives. I worry for my ancestral home's future. Not that it really bothered me as I hadn't lived there in so long.

"Find some self-confidence in there somewhere," I tapped his back where his heart should be before crossing my arms and sighing. "And for the love of god, try and act natural. Not cool. Not sexy. Not impressive. Not Kouki."

Especially NOT Kouki.

"Just be yourself."

The simple message was pretty cliché, I know. But it works. No matter how many times mom used it to reassure the kids every time we changed schools, that same advice cropped up over and over. Shit got old way too fast, more so with all the movies and inspiring kitten posters.

But it was true anyway. No denying that.

"Easy for you to say," he replied while ashamedly looking away. "You practically grew up with maids."

.

.

.

The statement met silence. All my desire for teasing was dropped.

Instead, I stood back up, turned away to face the open cabinet, and breathed.

Deeply. Serenely. Calm? Good.

_Again._

Breathe deep.

Calm?

_Good._

"Yeah," I replied blankly. "Guess I did. But that doesn't excuse your weak self-confidence."

Grabbing a few of the other clothes left in the closet, I turned to face him with coats and dress shirts in each hand, back to my normal self. Well, 'normal' wasn't the way he would think of it.

I felt an odd sense of irritation. Like I needed some payback. Was this what it felt like to be wronged?

"Now," I smiled, with the added purpose of terrifying him. Judging by the eyes filled with shock and horror under his thick bangs, it was super effective. "Let's see what we can do about getting you ready for a party!"

"Oy! Why're you looking at me like that? What's with those eyes?! What're you going to do with those?! Get away! No, please!"

CREAK

"Yamamoto-sama, I've come with your meal—"

Just as I was about to 'help' Kousuke, the maid arrived with a tray of food.

"Ah, perfect timing, Iselda-san." I continued casually, as if nothing was wrong, with Kousuke cowering away from me and towards the door. "Please, shut the door before Endou escapes! He's trying to avoid the party being thrown by the King in the Apostle's honor!"

"Understood!"

Credit given where credit is due. The maid reacted swiftly. Unflustered by my toplessness by now, she followed my orders to a 'T', locking the door behind her and leaving Endou trapped with me.

"Eh? Iselda-san! Please, open this door! Please!"

Maybe it was because she was a maid of the palace and the occupation demanded her discipline and ingenuity, but it also seemed that she had jammed something to keep the door from opening as Kousuke struggled with the knob. As she was but a simple Tortusian, she couldn't handle a competition of Strength against an Apostle, but she could delay him this way, at least.

"Tututu… that won't do, Endou-kun." I appeared behind him, prepared for anything he could try. _"Weave and weld. Hold tight and taut. Stay all who struggle. Let nothing escape thy grasp. Entrap, as I command thee, Adhesive!"_

A thin stream of gray liquid flew out of the paper I hastily drew a unique magic circle on and struck the boy on his palm just as he tried slamming his hands to the door. It stuck like glue and appeared to envelop the wooden surface and his skin in a thin yet expanding coat. It grew even more as he struggled.

"Oy! Eichirou! This isn't funny no more!"

"Yes, well, you pushed a few of my buttons," I replied with wholehearted honesty. "But I honestly want to help you gain some confidence. I bet that dressing you up will do for now."

I really wasn't lying. I wanted to help him so. But there was something else inside my intent. It was to embarrass this young man as best as I could just before I ruin our friendship. The reason being for taking the teasing too far. Even if he didn't mean to.

There were just some words I tend to avoid. They reminded me too much of the past. I really was tired and all that. Liliana's choice of relaxing had been way beyond my expectations. It helped with relieving the stress, I'll admit.

But the results were almost voided when I was reminded of a time I didn't want to remember.

In light of relieving the stress I just oh so recently gained, my only option is to embarrass this boy who's words were the cause. He might not have meant it, but I was too tired to care.

And besides, maybe a little harassment would scare the confidence into him.

Or not. I was just really mad right now.

I soon forgot about my worries that came with the realization of my other skill. I had Kousuke to thank for that. After toying around with him and giving him some advice on how to dress up, I let Kousuke go. He ran, _ran_, from me as soon as he was able to. I never knew the guy could go so fast. Then again, still didn't quite understand how stats applied to physics. Also, I might have scared the boy.

'Might'.

But thanks to relieving my stress and finally getting some rest, I owe Kousuke twice over. Iselda served me my meal and for a short time, I was in peace once again.

A while ago, I really wasn't sure how to go about facing my skill problem but having been given the calm I needed to contemplate everything, I realized something.

If I couldn't rely on the skill, I would just have to find a way to work around it. The skill had a subsection. 'Combat Arts'. That implied there were other types of uses for it. Where there were combat ones, there should be non-combat counterparts.

I can't thank Kousuke enough for this. Being able to relax and act like a teenager again really cooled my head.

If there was a way to utilize the skill without the risk of harm, then it wasn't a lost cause.

I could learn how to use a knife with just my desire alone. Who's to say I couldn't do it with a chisel, paintbrush, or hammer in the same manner. Getting skills in other fields should increase my chances of survival. Having painting or writing skills would be a good replacement for photography and printing. It could serve me well if I needed to copy documents or take images from Great Labyrinths for study.

Should I continue the weapons practice with Meld though?

Yes. Dangerous, but yes. I could become dangerous with a weapon when I feel threatened. But that's a price I have to pay to gain a mastery of this skill. Maybe, just maybe, I could learn to avoid harming anyone if I could.

First step would be to get as faaaaar away as possible from anyone while I practice.

Still, something bothered me.

"Status, open." I scanned the contents of my Encyclopedia skill. The way the 'Combat Arts' just branched away into subsections of weapons called something to me. Something either Hajime or Kousuke might've mentioned before.

'A Derivation of the skill?'

They said it was possible but also mentioned that it had never happened before. How such a statement could be said without contradictions was beyond me. But the context was still there. What I had was the first Derivation Skill in what could be centuries in this world. Maybe even ages ago.

This was bad.

The Appraisal was already a no-no. This made me an even rarer specimen.

_I should really, really avoid sharing this._

Being tied down by the legalities required of the Appraisal skill would tie me down. Having a Derivation Skill, especially one of this versatility, would practically _force me_ into the war.

Calm down. Only you have access to this plate. Just… Just don't draw any more attention than necessary.

Breathe. Calm. Good.

Now, before I lose my head further, I should get prepared for the party. Better put on my best performance otherwise I'll end up with another Ishtar on my back.

* * *

"Haaah," Iselda released a sigh she had been holding in for quite a while.

She was currently taking the used dishes back to the kitchen for cleaning. Having had to help Yamamoto-sama with assisting his fellow Apostle to get dressed was quite the task. Although Apostle Endou-sama resisted vehemently, Yamamoto-sama assured her it was for his own good, seeing as he and the rest of their fellows had encountered trouble with the palace's given attire.

His words held truth, however. There had been a buzzing rumor among the servants that the Apostles weren't adhering well to the accommodations of the palace despite all the effort they put into it. Some were sloppily dressed, others had difficulty eating certain foods, and then there were those who didn't appreciate the facilities. Mainly the lack of something called a 'shower' or a 'proper toilet'.

Iselda didn't understand such concepts and assumed they were probably commodities only available in their world. She could see why there were some Apostles who found living in the palace uncomfortable and therefore, didn't argue with Yamamoto.

'But did Endou-sama have to be such a crybaby about it?' she thought.

She didn't mean any insult to the Apostle. It was just that she found his behavior rather strange. Yamamoto-sama had explained that there were some concepts in their world that wouldn't translate to Tortus as the differences in culture was too vast. Iselda took his words for it and didn't bother thinking about it. But still, it was strange for a young man to be so whiny when it came to clothes. Iselda thought he looked quite nice. He didn't quite compare to Yamamoto-sama, but she couldn't say he looked bad.

Well, Apostles knew what fitted them best, or so she believed. Just let it be.

"Ah, great timing, Iselda!" Arriving at the palace's grand kitchen, a familiar voice called her over.

"What is it, Amelia-senpai?" Iselda addressed the older girl politely but kept her distance with the cart she was pushing between them.

"A delivery just arrived." Gesturing over to several barrels near the back entrance, the older girl clasped her hands to plead. "We need extra hands right now to prepare them. Is it okay for you to ask for a leave from Apostle-sama?"

"There's no need for that. Yamamoto-sama told me to take a break anyway as he would be resting until tonight's party." Quite convenient, actually. The timing of her break was impeccable. After serving him, he just told her to leave a pitcher of water for him while he rested before the appointed time of the ball later that evening. It looked like he had expected the kitchen to need extra hands. 'As expected of an Apostle. Yamamoto-sama is considerate as well as insightful as always.'

"Hmm? Did something good happen?" Amelia began poking her face closer to Iselda's own. Their height difference made it easier for the taller girl to bypass the cart barrier Iselda had set up. "Your face is glowing! Did you get to feel Apostle-sama's muscles up close again—Mmph?!"

"Please stop saying such things. It's rude." A rag stuffed itself in Amelia's face. Her senior always had the habit of being too close or rowdy. So much so that the younger maid had took to becoming more composed and well-mannered than her senior. She was also too damned perceptive! "We—we have things to prepare, do we not?"

Moving ahead of her senior maid, the young Iselda set aside the dirty dishes for another of the servants to clean. Folding up her sleeves, she popped open one of the barrels in the back while Amelia prepared their tools.

"Hm?" Soaked under cooling water were round red fruits with a small cut stalk where it used to be connected to a branch. The red orbs seemed to shine even more under the light of the sun. "Pleap fruits?"

"It's amazing, isn't it? These fruits could be made into salads and their juices are comparable to nectar from those fairytales during Ehito-sama's creation of the world. With this many, it can be called the largest harvest of pleap fruits in the century."

Amelia plopped her head over Iselda's shoulders, much to the girl's dismay, as she counted the number of barrels available.

"They also say that pleap fruits are common in the Apostles' world! After hearing the stories about them from your Apostle-sama, the Princess begged the King for something similar as gifts to appease the Apostles-sama. He quickly requested the other nobles to find them. No we have enough to make juices and other deserts. Liliana-sama was also wondering if we could replicate dishes from your Apostle-sama's stories."

"He's not 'my' Apostle-sama." Iselda snapped back. "Stop saying misleading things, senpai."

"You say that," she smirked knowingly backed. "But you enjoy serving him so much that you've practically forgot you serve the palace and the Royal Family."

"I'm under orders by Liliana-sama to do as he needs me to—ack!"

"Ita! Ow! What was that for Head Maid?!"

Looking up at the imposing woman, only the bubbly Amelia dared to ask the lady who smacked them both in the back of the head.

"Those who shirk their duty will receive punishment." A smile was present, but her scolding voice froze hell over. "Does your work include pointless chatter?"

""…""

"I thought not. Now get to peeling. And do be careful with the seeds. Separate them as cleanly as you can. Do not break a single one."

With no reply back to the eldest of maids, they were left to start preparing the fruits while she herself started organizing the other servants in preparation. Only her senior to accompany her, Iselda sat down and started peeling the pleap fruits before slicing it open and collecting the dark seeds in a nearby flute glass. After a while, and as the Head Maid vanished to do more work, she continued her task in relative peace.

"So, so, so?! How far did you get with him today?"

Except for the fact that her senior kept pestering her.

She was doing the same job, peeling the same fruits, similarly discarding seeds in another flute glass next to her. A tedious task for many. And yet the older maid, who was able to efficiently peel and pit five times more fruit than Iselda had done in the past few minutes, had only been doing the work half-heartedly.

All to interrogate her for 'juicy' stories.

"We didn't 'go anywhere', Amelia-senpai." Iselda flatly replied. "Please go back to work."

"Ehhh? But it's boooorrrriiiiing!" The older girl whined as a child. "Your time flirting with Apostle-sama's much more interesting than peeling some fruit—Ita!"

"Back to work."

"Ye—yes, ma'am!"

Delivering a smack to the back of the talkative maid's cranium, the Head Maid disappeared as soon as she came. Iselda, somehow grateful as well as terrified still of the old hag, resumed her job.

"Please do your work properly, Amelia-senpai. And for your correction, I haven't been 'flirting' with Yamamoto-sama."

"Tch, boring," the older girl really liked to act as a child, much to Iselda and her colleagues' dismay. "And here I thought our little Iselda-chan would finally get a chance to experience some 'grown-up' love."

The words had Iselda rolling her eyes. Their idea of 'grown-up romance' was a bit perverse as it pitted her, a simple maid, vying against Princess Liliana for an Apostle's attention. It was pretty much an open secret to the palace that the two were close. Not enough to become noteworthy, but enough that the servants would start fantasizing a romance between a princess and god's blessed from another world.

Such were the flights of fancy that tickled the maids' hearts as well as made the guards pray for their lady's success.

They couldn't help it. The Apostle of Ehito known as Yamamoto Eichirou was well-liked by everyone. He was polite, courteous, as educated as a noble, and open-minded. He was a great converser and storyteller, with a few of the servants having overheard and agreeing with Iselda's sentiments.

The other Apostles were bland and confusing. Some of them were well-mannered and polite. Others were quite rude and picky. There were also the indifferent and difficult ones to communicate with. All in all, Yamamoto-sama was the only one to captivate most of the people he met.

The only exception was the Church of Saints as he seemed to disagree with their methods. None of the lower servants knew the big picture, but many suspected it was because of Ishtar-sama's insulting of the Apostle's own god. One called Anima.

For simple commoners such as they, gods were an idol of worship. Having known of Ehito all their life, they devoted their souls to him. Some going so far as to offer their very existence to the Church.

But the thought that Ehito's pope had insulted the god of another world sent rumors flying everywhere. Some said that the pope was just mistaken and should be forgiven. Others say that there was no other god besides Ehito. But there were those who sought to reason that maybe it was just the pope's misunderstanding the Apostles that caused the confusion.

No matter where one went, there was a discussion about it. If the god Anima was real or not. If the pope really did mess up or not. If Liliana was actually flirting with him or not. Not one of the servants could say for certain.

Well, the last one was being kept secret by Liliana-sama's personal maid, so no one dared to question it further. Her adoration for her charge was as much as the Queen's to her child. Well-respected as she was, only the inept would dare.

Also, the Queen had ordered everyone to let Liliana take things her own pace. By that, she meant let the Princess go for Yamamoto-sama without any external interference. Even she found the young man endearing enough to let her own daughter pursue him through her own ability. Iselda found it odd though, for the Queen being supportive. The King was probably still unaware of his own daughter's attraction to the boy.

But back to the Apostle in question, the awe of such a benevolent otherworlder showing respect not just to the King and Royal family, but to the guards and servants as well, it was enough to amaze many. And unlike the others that bumbled behind the choices of the handsome one, Yamamoto-sama took things at his own pace and made a larger impression than the Hero did.

'As I thought, Yamamoto-sama is impressive.'

"Aaah, I see a maiden in looooooove!"

Iselda felt compelled to peel something else _other_ than the skin of the pleap fruits.

"Amelia-senpai. Could you kindly please. Get. Back. To. Work." Each word was punctuated by the knife cutting into the fruit. "If Head Maid catches you slacking off—ow!"

Dropping the fruit, Iselda grasped her hand. A cut visible on one of her fingers and a small stream of blood on the knife.

"Wait! Let me see." Taking the wounded hand in her own, Amelia quickly responded to the younger maid's distress. "No change in color. No foaming or signs of poisoning. Alright."

Taking out a simple piece of paper, the older maid began to chant.

_"By Ehito's blessing, relieve this child's suffering. Close the wounds, I command thee, Heal."_

The wound quickly closed up. The emergency healing magic circle died and faded away from the paper. The healing spell completed; its purpose fulfilled.

"Thank you," Iselda meekly said. "Fast as always with the first aid, senpai."

One of the skills her senior had was healing magic. Harder to come by, especially from a commoner born in the streets, Amelia was the rare case that had a good aptitude for the spell.

"Don't thank me yet. You should check later if it starts to hurt or if you feel off in any way."

"Eh?" looking at the wound then back to Amelia, Iselda asked. "Why is that?"

"Pleap fruits are especially rare and hard to grow so it is very valuable. The taste is sublime and worthy of the Apostles, no doubt. But there are rumors that it could be poisonous." Iselda stiffened at that. "Some say your skin starts itching and it gets to the point that you can't help but tear off your own skin. Others say it goes straight for your chest, stops you from breathing until you die silently screaming."

The examples were terrible. Not just the kind to scare off children, but it sounded horrible to even think about. No wonder the Head Maid told them to be careful.

"Hey, hey. Don't go all white just yet. You don't seem to be suffering any symptoms so you should be safe. Just make sure to get yourself checked if you feel off, you hear?"

Amelia didn't have a class just like most of the other servants, including Iselda herself, but her medical and healing abilities were one of the things she was appreciated for. Perhaps her upbringing made her knowledgeable of such things. Nevertheless it was a respectable trait.

"Understood, Amelia-senpai. I'll be cautious."

Iselda was quite impressed with her senior every now and then. She showed remarkable attentiveness and care for her juniors. Regrettably, it was how she found out about Iselda's confused feelings for Yamamoto-sama. It was bad that she decided to use such information as teasing material to annoy the strict junior Despite this, she was supportive of Iselda so it painted her in a better light. She was also a hardworker and good at her job.

"Wouldn't want my precious junior dying off before her first love gets fulfilled!"

The only thing Iselda wanted from her though was to keep her mouth shut.

"ITA!"

"OW!"

"I don't see you working." Preoccupied by the accidental cut, neither noticed the sudden return of their superior. "Move along and find the head chef. He needs more help arranging the dishes for the hall. Remember to clean up before you go."

"Yes, Head Maid." "Understood."

Both maids nodded and left, leaving the pile of peeled pleap fruits to be tended to by another servant called on by the Head.

Iselda kept an eye on her senior, keeping the lively girl as well-behaved as the junior could. Soon, they needed to prepare a party worthy of their saviors. It wouldn't do for them to mess up even more.

All the while, she checked on the former wound the older maid had patched up. No scarring, no itching. Clean as can be. And yet, she wondered what her senior meant by the fruit being poisonous. There were many things in this world she had yet to experience. Being a palace maid had allowed for some of them to be fulfilled, but rare foods was a commodity reserved for the higher-ups.

'But to think it could be poisonous?' Iselda wondered. 'If such a thing was abundant in the Apostles' world, then would that mean they could survive despite the poison?'

The young maid sighed at the obvious.

'Of course they can. They're strong enough to defeat devils. Able to wield powerful magic that could surpass even the Court Mage. And maybe strong enough to beat the best of the Knight Order if the cause of Yamamoto-sama's injuries were anything to go by.'

Iselda let the concern slip away. Initially, she had panicked at the news. Not just for herself, but also those they would be serving this to. But at the simple thought, she just sighed and forgot about it.

'I highly doubt something like this would even faze Yamamoto-sama.'

* * *

**_Hold your butts and give me a few hours to up the other one. Party's up next._**


	6. Chapter 6

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 6: Similar Person, Different Persona**

* * *

"Presenting our venerable Pope, Ishtar Langbard-sama, the High Priests of the Church of Saints, and our Lord Ehito's Apostles!"

The grand doors to the hall opened, and long procession of Apostles and Royals made its way along the red carpet that cut through the room. Pope Ishtar at its head, he was followed by a few priests, all including the pope wore regally white robes, denoting their high position within the Church of Saints.

Those pious enough bowed low as they passed by. Those with deep respect kneeled. And a fair few went so far as to plant their forehead where there shoes once were. Such was the power and influence of the Church.

Following behind, the class of Apostles, dressed properly for the event, walked along two at a time with the Hero, Amanogawa Kouki, taking the lead and the only two non-combatant jobholders, Nagumo Hajime and Hatayama Aiko, the rear. They all held their heads high, with quite a lot making nervous smiles as they waved to the crowd.

This brought a smile to many. Seeing their saviors arrive, they gladly welcomed the teenagers and one child-looking adult with applause and low bows. Not as much respect as the church, but in their case, a few bachelors and bachelorettes smiled charmingly towards the otherworlders while some nobles nodded in agreement from the side. A sign of the night going to be a long one.

However, if one had known about the actual number of Apostles summoned, they would notice the group was missing one. Where would an Apostle be on such a joyous occasion? Only a handful knew to look right behind them.

"Presenting the Royal Family, King Eliheid-sama, Queen Luluaria-sama, Prince Lundel-sama, and Princess Liliana-sama along with her escort."

At the mere mention of the Princess having an escort, the hall suddenly went abuzz. There had been no rumors of a suitor, nor had the Princess's marriage ever been discussed yet. After all, she was still shy a few months of her coming of age. Had there been news of a fiancé, many would have assumed it was the Prince from the Hoelscher Empire.

But there had not been any news from any envoys sent by Emperor Gahard D. Hoelscher.

So begs the question.

"Who is that young man accompanying the Princess. Have you heard anything?"

"No. Not of the sort. But he doesn't seem to be a Prince of any country."

"He certainly looks dashing. Do you think he's a suitor?"

"Hush. Such talk is rude. We shouldn't assume anything until they make an announcement."

"But you still agree?"

"Right."

'Princess Liliana seems to enjoy his company as well.'

* * *

Such was the talk among the crowd as soon as I stepped in with the Princess.

Goddamn aristocrats and their pish posh gossiping.

I hadn't been introduced as another Apostle and they probably did that on purpose. I can only think Ishtar ordered it to spite me. So I'm not an Apostle, just her _escort_, eh?

Still, this helped lower their expectations of me. I'm not her date, or fiancé, or an Apostle. I'm just a friend escorting the Lady. If anyone asks, I'm just at my Lady's service. Let them assume I'm a butler.

_Stay low, stay hidden. Do not attract attention._

Thankfully, Helina followed behind us. If I needed confirmation, she would match my story as a witness in respect for my will as an Apostle. Having requested that I escort Liliana, I chose this as my condition. Of course, Lady Liliana was unaware of this so we kept quiet. Also, unlike the other dignitaries in this hall, only the servants, the Prime Minister, the Elder Court Mage and Knight Commander knew who I was.

_Shit. Better avoid them to make sure the story sticks._

On that note, the maid and I followed the Royals until we took our positions in the center fore of the grand hall, ready and waiting Liliana's orders if she needed to make changes for the party. Surprisingly, this was why she was too busy to check up on me. She was the event manager for welcoming the Apostles. Huh. What an amazing child. To think this was all organized by a fifteen-year-old. I'm impressed.

That being said, I remained standing as Liliana sat down next to her family while the prick—I mean Pope made his welcoming speech.

"People of Heiligh, today we are blessed by Ehito-sama as we welcome the Hero and his companions," gesturing over to the classmates and teacher that stood awkwardly in rows before him, Amanogawa at the fore, Ishtar preached. "Know that starting today, we now have the power to fight back the demons invading our homes. With Ehito-sama's guidance, the Heroes will rise and save our race from those savage beasts. All in the name of Ehito-sama."

Yeah, sure. Kidnap a few kids, give em magic and shit, and you call it victory. Basic propaganda if I'd ever seen one. I didn't let it show on my face, but the bullshit he spouted on continued to sour my mood for every word. Soon, he was done. I purged all that crap out of my head. With the context all being 'praise Ehito' the rest was just a 'blah, blah, blah' for me. I let out a sigh as soon as Ishtar left the center stage for the King to take his place.

"Not a fan of Ishtar-sama?"

Helina whispered by my side. It was audible enough for me, but not so much for Liliana standing before us to notice.

"Not really," I whispered back. "It's just that being the believer of another god, I find Langbard-sama too zealous."

"That's a shame," she said. "I guess Liliana-sama will never get to enjoy sharing Ehito-sama's greatness with you."

Due to us being hidden behind the seats of the Royals, one would hardly notice the small smile she sent me.

"Then again, she would probably enjoy speaking of Anima with you instead." The small smile turned into a hidden smirk. "But she'd probably enjoy spending time with you, whatever you choose to do."

The implication was not lost on me. She knew her liege's feelings for me. I knew about Liliana's misunderstanding of mine. All in all, she wanted to support her Lady. I wanted the opposite of that. Helina most likely understood this from the moment I asked her to serve as my proof that Liliana and I were just friends.

Despite that, she still pressed me. Making me feel guilty about Liliana. She was just another maid of the palace to me. But she was akin to Liliana's best friend. She wanted the best for the girl. And no Apostle would be able to change her mind otherwise.

I feel that Helina would follow my request as per the agreement, but having chosen to support Liliana, this was probably a one-time thing.

"Please don't think so highly of me, Helina-san." I replied with an expression that showed I would remain humble and refuse for the Princess' sake. "Liliana-sama deserves more than that. Someone such as I am no good for her and should remain solely as a friend."

"On the contrary, Yamamoto-sama, I'm in no position to dictate what ought to be my Lady's." Her words denied me even that. "As her maid, I trust her to make the right decisions. I may be able to voice my opinion but convincing her to change her opinion of you is not in my authority."

Basically washing her hands of responsibility. True, Liliana would have to make her own decisions. She would be seen as an adult as soon as she came of age which was soon in the coming months. If Liliana's feelings were just as strong as Helina's resolve was, there would be no changing her mind.

I had this plan all thought up to ensure we would remain as friends. More for her benefit as there was no point in being so close to someone who would leave given the opportunity. It was not meant to be. At least, given the circumstances we were put in.

Had I met her on Earth or I and my family was born on Tortus, we could have become great friends. Maybe more. But this wasn't it. Not while I was trapped here. Given everything that I knew, she would probably think so as well.

Liliana's not stupid, but I lied to her when I said I would open an interdimensional gateway to get help. I would if I could, but I was just one boy way in over his head. Even if I do get it open, would the Japanese government, hell, any government, listen to the pleas of a country on the verge of annihilation by a race war?

_Yes, they would._

Would they have Liliana's, her home and people's, best interest at heart?

_No, they would not._

Because no one moves without benefit in our world. You may die fighting against demons and monsters here, but the people on _that_ side could be just as demonic and monstrous with their decisions. If they judged the demons as negotiable allies, they would trade tech for magic. If they were instead probable test subjects to be experimented on, then maybe they would ally with the humans of Tortus.

_But what about after?_

This was a world with inferior technology and sciences but abundant resources, open space, and much, much more. On the smallest scale, this entire plane of reality was proof of deities, parallel dimensions and more. It was a goldmine. No, a diamond generator. A literal renewable resource with answers to Earth's greatest questions. Not one of them would let the opportunity to exploit this place pass.

_If this world was saved by Earthlings, what could Tortusians give in exchange?_

I was no optimist. I knew what the people of Earth could do in the direst of circumstances. What they were _capable_ of. By signing that pact, I could go home. But then it would be me abandoning this girl and everything she ever knew and loved.

_Do I really want to be **that **kind of monster?_

I made that lie to prevent the Church forcing a war on me. If it fails, I could be, at best, trapped here forever and maybe in service to Liliana, maybe more. At worst, I would be executed as a heretic, a coward, a liar, or a fraud. Either result forbids me from seeing my home, my beloved family ever again.

But if it comes true, I would be selling this world and everything in it to the _monsters_ of my world.

_Either I fake it forever, living a life of falsehood and betraying the genuine feelings of this innocent girl. I could learn to care for her, and maybe her home, but it would cost me my own family._

Not a bad choice, considering I could live with the choice that I didn't abandon her. Will it be the same for my family, though?

_Or I prove my claims true, find a way back, get help, and in the end, disappoint her feelings and sell off her world._

…

I'm selfish. I'm only doing it to go home. I shouldn't feel bad about giving up this world's freedom in order to get back to my family. I don't! Not at all!

…

And yet.

…

Why am I hesitating now?

"Yamamoto-sama?" I snapped my attention forward. Liliana had glanced to my direction and called me with concern. Ahh, I was making _that face_ again, wasn't I…? I really am bad at hiding this. "Are you alright?"

"Just feeling a slight ache in my arm from today's practice, my Lady. I'll be alright."

I winked in her direction, causing her to glow slightly red. But it was enough to prevent her from asking more. I guess manipulating her in this way was convenient after all.

Ah, this twinge in my chest, is that guilt I feel?

_For taking advantage of the girl, yes._

.

.

.

Breathing in, I sighed deeply.

Kousuke was right. I really did care too much for my own good.

"To hide your true feelings on the matter, you truly with to play the role of a dangerous man, Yamamoto-sama." Helina silently chuckled and whispered further. "Rest assured, no matter what you wish to hide, I know my Lady would still be willing to accept you. Her kindness is one of her greatest assets. That I can assure you."

"Of that, I have no doubt."

I merely nodded in response but refused to agree, keeping the truth from cropping up on my expression again, as it should have been. The truth, as it were, was something that would hurt her either way I chose.

'I promised her I'd show her my world. Even if she did see its beauty, there would be no hiding its ugliness as well. No such kindness would be able to forgive _that_ kind of betrayal. If they did, I would call them a fool. But in Liliana's case…'

.

.

.

_I'm the fool, aren't I?_

Compromise this relationship correctly and I could leave Tortus with just her broken heart. But once I leave and fulfill that promise, that broken heart would be lucky to not break even further once the vultures of capitalism feast on this world's very soul.

Fail that, and I could end up alone, isolated. On my own in this world with a target pinned to my back and no support from the Royals. The Church could act as they wished and figuratively use me as a tool until I was worth nothing to them like a puppet.

Hell, I could say fuck it and join the war. At least, I'll die a hero instead of becoming their villain.

Those were my options.

The party's just begun but I had already begun to hesitate on my plan.

* * *

'Why is he escorting the Princess?'

It was a question that boiled the minds of all present. Many just took it as maybe a gesture of goodwill for Lady Liliana. A few were whispering about a possible engagement. But there were those who looked upon with genuine curiosity. They wondered 'Who exactly is that young man to be able to get in such good graces with the Royals?'.

The question was there, all for differing reasons of course. But there were also glares of contempt. Glistening rage at how the young Yamamoto Eichirou seemed to be flaunting his influence over the masses. How he stood tall, hiding behind the Royal family like they were his shields from divine punishment. Whispers of his heresy never left their lips. They simple stood calm, observing. Waiting.

Such was the unity behind the Church that worshipped Ehito. They would not move unless ordered to by their benevolent god.

However, not all were purely united in this belief. Some would rather take matters into their own hands. Donning a disguise and moving towards the kitchen, the most devoted of believers, or they believe themselves to be, chose to act now. Before the party had ended, they would have their retribution as Ehito would pass for them.

In his creations were the tools. All they had to do was use them. Unnoticed by all, the fanatic smiled.

And they believed, for their own sake, Ehito did as well.

* * *

Amanogawa Kouki considered himself a gentleman. With how proper he acted, how polite he carried himself, and how generous his character was, he believed himself to be the ideal gentleman. Being called a Hero in this world, he also believed he found his calling. 'To be the savior of another world' was somehow not all bad as it sounded. Unlike what a certain someone preferred to deny.

'What was wrong with wanting to save people?' he asked himself. 'It wasn't' was the immediate answer.

It was a thing that made sense to him long before anything else did. Before he became known as the talented honor student, he first and foremost thought himself a righteous young man. The ideal human being. One that everyone should try to emulate for the sake of a peaceful and just world.

Now, however, he was wondering why the exact opposite, a selfish coward that refused to hone his talents and save the innocents, was the one assigned to escort the Princess of the Kingdom instead of he, the Hero himself, who was trying to save the world. Didn't the Princess get escorted by the Hero? Why was he, the one most against staying here, being treated as such?

It just seemed… off for Kouki. It didn't register. Like putting meat on a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

He shook his head internally and regained his composure. He shouldn't contemplate too deeply on such things. He had already decided he would confront Yamamoto-kun sometime in the future. To convince him to stand and fight. He seemed like a reasonable enough kind of guy. There was no doubt in Kouki's mind that he would listen to reason, _his reason_, and join them. If he could, then maybe some time tonight.

For now, he should smile like a gentleman and greet the aristocrats that came so far just to meet the saviors of their world.

"It is an honor to welcome you and your companions to our world, Hero-sama."

"The pleasure is ours, Margrave Verdoben."

Kouki smiled back while he greeted as he shook the eager man's hand. It was large. Not muscular, not wide, just… thick with meat. The nobleman had probably never gone a day without a full course meal. It made his military uniform, pinned with numerous badges and ribbons to denote all the honors he had achieved in his service. A highly honored military officer meant he was respected by the military. This assumption brought a warm feeling in Kouki's heart.

It was probably because this noble had worked so hard to manage his land properly that his people had never experienced such hardships until now and they recognized it by honoring his military merits. A well-fed leader meant a well-fed populace and a well-respected soldier meant a well-guarded public. The proof was in the number of badges pinned to his coat as well as his 'healthy' disposition.

The man looked like a pig, but he probably had a heart of gold to be able to share his blessings to the people he had to manage and a resolve of steel to achieve such high military rewards by protecting his people.

It hadn't been a few minutes yet and Kouki already felt he should respect this man, despite his messy appearance.

"I hope our gifts are adequate enough. We grow them ourselves on land managed by my humble family."

"We appreciate them," Kouki smiled kindly back. "Our only worry is that there may have been too much."

The gifts in question were fruits resembling apples on Earth. Kouki had eaten them before, buying some from convenience stores as an early morning snack after training. But never had he seen such plump red fruits with yellow flesh that seemed to instinctively water one's mouth. He did wonder though, 'Why apples?'.

Maybe it was a produce found only in the Margraves' territory. It would explain why Verdoben-san was acting proud of his contribution. Such a kind gift won't be accepted without gratitude.

"You jest. Please, let me introduce my family. My wife, Naniche."

"Good evening to you, Hero-sama."

The noblewoman bowed to him and he reciprocated by kissing her on the knuckles. Quite the beautiful spouse the Margrave had landed himself. If Kouki was permitted, he would say the man was a lucky guy to have such a gorgeous wife. As for why she his half her face behind the fan, Kouki could only guess she was the shy type. With how intense she gazed at him, though, someone might say she was actually eyeballing him, or hiding a spark of interest in the young Apostle.

But not Kouki. A righteous man wouldn't say such things about a lady. Instead, he would say she was just shy but hid great curiosity beneath that demeanor. He completely ignored the fact that she was licking her lips from behind the fan.

"My daughter, especially, has been very eager to meet with you who come from another world."

"Good evening to you, Apostle-sama. My name is Naiv. It truly, truly is an honor."

The Margrave was keen, if not a bit enthusiastic, when he introduced his daughter to the Hero. When Kouki had heard from Ishtar that it was an honor for the masses to meet an Apostle of Ehito, he understood that this day was a big one for the child. He knew better than to embarrass her, so he replied as he normally would.

"Likewise, it is great to meet a lovely child such as yourself."

The young girl, only thirteen years of age, presented herself so, bowing low while shaking in her frilled dress, a bit abashed by the compliment. Kouki, unwittingly once again, set fire to the child's nervous system by treating her the same way he did her mother, with a kiss to the knuckles. Normally, such a gesture was reserved for those you fancy or could be used with this context to mean a sense of respect for the lady. But to such a young girl who had yet to debut in high society, such an act was considered the marking of her reaching adulthood, or at least wishful thinking of such.

Children always put great importance in the simplest of things. This fact was lost on Kouki as he simply treated the child like any other girl, politely and gentleman-like. And like all the women he treated this way, they would all fall for him, one way or another to be disappointed at misunderstood affection never meant to be.

Such was the way Kouki greeted the guests one after the other. The noblemen with respect even if he'd never met them nor heard of some horrid rumors about them. The noblewomen, he would show decorum befitting a gentleman, but more than a few would fall for the usual misunderstanding.

The queue was never short for the number of nobles that wished to greet the Hero, or introduce an obvious marriage candidate, never dwindled. All the while, the Hero of Tortus remained oblivious to the obvious yet unspoken fact.

To the children and innocent, it was an honor to meet an Apostle. To the adults and the cunning, it was an opportunity for status and fame.

And those that saw the truth despised such things.

* * *

'Really now, to stoop so low as to woo our saviors in there schemes. Have they no shame? They're supposed to be welcoming them and showing gratitude for coming to our aide. What good would it do to have them marry your children other than personal gain to improve your family's standing?'

The thought brought a sigh to her lips as Liliana stared in awe as well as disgust at the exchange between the Hero Amanogawa-sama and the Margrave of the East. With her skilled poker face, her emotions were unnoticed, concealed. Only those closest to her could actually see how much she hated such flattering attempts to seduce the Apostles.

'Why did they have to be so… upfront about it?'

Perhaps it was because she issued a request to her father to gather the fruits that resembled ones from Eichirou-sama's home world and the reward for contributing was to be first in line for an audience with the Hero. Maybe that had something to do with her sour mood. But then again, maybe it was just her aversion for such actions.

It was happening not just before her, however. A few of the other Apostles has already been approached by young noble bachelors, seeking fame and status by snagging one of them from their group. Most notably, the beautiful girls called Shirasaki-sama and Yaegashi-sama had been approached by what Liliana could only describe as a pack of hungry wolves.

She sighed in relief when they relented, however, even the single ladies of the audience tried their cue on the teenage boys. A few glances sent here and there, and some began to feel weak-kneed. Despite this, none of them actually approached the flirtatious girls. Liliana internally nodded her approval that none of the male Apostles had fallen for such feminine wiles.

Little did Liliana know that the primary cause they didn't respond was due to their lacking confidence.

However, the procession to pander to the Hero was not done, and Liliana was pained to sit through ten more minutes of blatant child advertisement. She wished she could coop up back in her study to either do some work or practice the piano even more.

Well, that and listen to someone else other than the falsehoods before her.

"It seems you don't find such things enjoyable, Liliana-sama."

"Eh?" Liliana, sat a bit away from the Queen and her little brother, quickly returned herself from her brooding to meet the eyes of her concerned escort. "Ah, it's nothing. Please, don't mind me."

She didn't want to bother him. Not when he, as her escort, was forced to stand behind her like Helina. But it seemed he didn't care at all. In fact, he seemed to know and understand what bothered her.

"Not to worry, my Lady. I share your sentiment. Such things were common in my world as well." The escort smiled knowingly at her before sending an obviously disappointed glance at the other nobles coming to introduce their marriage candidates—… er… children. "Worry not for only the simple-minded would aim for Amanogawa. He may be the Hero, but his simple nature won't bend easily to such attempts at seduction."

Eichirou-sama whispered such reassuring words to her. All the while, he smiled his usual honest way. The expression sent jitters through the young princess that she momentarily forgot she was bored.

She didn't really mind if the Hero got seduced by the nobles. She just found their methods crude and insolent. Had they set up the child to naturally get to know the Hero and assisted him along the way, she would gladly support their endeavors. But to use a child and the otherworlder as a tool or puppet for political gain, such things were vile and atrocious.

She was glad that someone, a _certain someone_ specifically, thought so as well.

Liliana really couldn't thank Helina enough for suggesting this development. Had the maid not, she would have been escorted by the Hero and been given front row seat to observe the false compliments. Sitting in the back along with her dashing—Ahem…—along with Eichirou-sama was the better option.

He, at least, remained genuine to her for her own sake. Liliana appreciated that so very much. In a world of politics, a teenager bred to be a Princess didn't have time to enjoy simple and honest friendships. It was always preparation for a life of politics to come.

But now, with him, she simply lived. Not for anyone's sake, but her own.

Looking away before anyone caught her ogling her own escort, Liliana momentarily turned a light shade of pink as her face flushed in embarrassment.

'Calm down! You're a princess of Heiligh! Don't lose yourself now! Not in front of all these guests.'

She was a princess, yes She had been taught to keep a poker face and always remain composed as a princess should at times like these. But being forced to remain unruffled, after all she'd been contemplating on? It didn't sit well with her girlish side.

"Ahem. To have such people in high positions is a disgrace," collecting herself with a cough, Liliana chose to be humble for her people's sake. "I can't apologize to the Apostles enough for enduring such people, Eichirou-sama."

She would like to extend the apology to the children of the nobles who were most assuredly being used by their parents as pawns. A child should be given the opportunity to live their dream and work hard towards it. Not to be treated like an accessory to an Apostle.

"But it is only human nature for there to be ambitions to be superior over others." He placed a hand on her shoulder, preventing her from lowering her head. Instead, he chose to come closer, enough that it didn't mean much from an outsider's perspective, too much for her reddening face, to assure her. "You've done nothing wrong to apologize so much. In fact, I should be thanking you for organizing such an event for our sakes. You've worked hard enough, so please, keep your head held high, Lady Liliana-sama."

His thanks were all she could ever ask for.

The way his eyes conveyed gratitude from the depths of his heart was enough to turn the Princess into a tomato in a dress. She found it difficult to look at him straight with how sincere and honest he said it that she instead closed her eyes and tried to regulate her breathing, unable to stop the reddening on her face.

Liliana was sure of it now. This was way better than being an accessory to the Hero.

It wasn't that Liliana didn't like to associate with the Hero. Rather, she just preferred to do so with someone who just so happened to _not_ be the Hero. More so since he acted on her behalf and treated her less like an object, and more like a princess. It was… as his stories went… romantic.

'BE STILL, MY BEATING HEART!' she internally screamed in joy and exasperation. 'You've only been friends for less than a week! Stop jumping all over the place over a simple 'thank you'!'

But then again, she would do anything to hear him say those words again.

'Uwawawawawawawa! STOP, STOP, STOPU!'

"Is something the matter, my Lady?" Eichirou-sama noted the silent but shaking princess. "If you feel faint, should I get you something to drink while Helina-san wait here with you?."

"N-No, I will be fine!"

She protested. Of course, she knew that if she didn't, he would be gone for a while. She didn't want that. Or maybe she did? She needed some time to compose herself too. Or maybe not. Maybe? No? Yes?! No?!

She had no idea what to do at times like these! Helina never mentioned what to do when your heart and head's choices didn't, no, couldn't compromise. And neither did her mother offer any good advice! What Queen/mother would tell her daughter to just 'push him down'?!

"Please accommodate me for a little while longer."

Her selfish side won out. What's more, her choice of words astounded even herself! How shameful. And yet, Liliana didn't feel bad about making the choice at all.

"If that is your wish, then I shall be here if you need assistance, my Lady."

Eichirou-sama nodded with another kind expression that would have most likely forced Liliana's legs to give out had she been standing. The hidden nuances in her words went unnoticed by most, bar the Queen who had been sneaking glances at her daughter and a few of the maids within earshot who remained silent and expressionless for the sake of their Lady. Lundel was too busy glaring at suiters vying for Shirasaki-sama's attention, ignoring his dear older sister's plight. And the king and pope were too focused on the Hero to even care.

Eichirou-sama's expression didn't seem to indicate if he knew what she might have meant by it. At least, Liliana was unaware he took the words' meaning to their extreme.

A drop or more of sweat escaped Eichirou, all the while the princess remained oblivious to it, too entrapped by her own shameful delusions and the conscience that struggled to keep it together.

* * *

Soon, the meet-and-greet with the Hero was done and the party was in full swing. The nobles all associated with one another, cracking jokes and congratulating others. To the eyes and ears of some of the clueless Apostles, the hidden barbs and rude implications of politics when unnoticed.

"We'll finally be able to strike back against those demons."

"Yes. Ehito-sama is with us after all."

"Truly. The Hero will be the spearhead to our counterattack."

"Have you heard? There've been rumors that the demons are gathering monsters and magic beasts."

"The Apostles will probably have to handle that sometime in the future."

"But as of now, the bastards have only been harrying the border."

"Count Heinrich, I heard you had another problem with the adventurer's guild. Is it related to recent developments?"

"Regrettably true, Earl Ulric. There have been a few monsters coming out of the Sea of Trees recently. They've been harassing our traders delivering certain goods and the guild that assigned men to escort them has requested we send more troops to deal with the problem."

"How disgraceful. It must be quite taxing, having to send your men to deal with the commoner's job."

"Quite ridiculous, I agree. The guild's standards have been dropping as of late. Too many worthless Blues not worth the Luta they are paid. If monsters hadn't let up this month, I wouldn't have been able to attend such a wonderful party. Hopefully, the Heroes will have done something about it soon."

"Yes. It's amazing that such young children would carry out the will of Ehito for the people's salvation."

"I agree. Speaking of children, I heard you brought your daughter along this evening."

"What a coincidence. I hear you brought your son. You aren't planning on offering another proposal again, are you, old friend? Persistence is admirable but there should be a limit."

"Worry not, old chap. I have recently decided my son would find a different path in life. He himself is not against the proposal so he intends to take things at his own pace. Preferably, by the end of the night."

"Hoho, I see. Then I wish him success."

"I wish you the same for your daughter."

* * *

Kousuke scrunched his brow as he took a sip from his glass of water. He had been offered some pleap fruit juice beforehand, however it smelled too sweet for his taste buds to handle. His creased brow wasn't caused by the beverage though.

The nobles here and there were exchanging pleasantries after they finished their greetings to the Pope, Royals, and Kouki. In that order. Kousuke understood what Eichirou had said before, about the Church being in power. This display only exemplified the fact that King Eliheid was just a pawn to the Pope who held most, if not all, the power.

Speaking of his friend, Kousuke nervously pulled his hair back. Well, he could have had Eichirou not already used his new Adhesive Spell as a makeshift hair gel. The sleek substance, neither solid nor liquid, had been spread all over Kousuke's head down to his scalp in evenly thing amounts. After letting it settle, the sickly brown color disappeared and allowed his coarse hair to be streaked back in its natural black color. This left Kousuke's normally hidden face on full display for all to see.

The lack of bangs to hide his gaze was annoying the boy. His eyes, that were usually concealed behind the long hair like a sniper's nest couldn't do its usual scrutinizing without drawing attention. For some reason, many had begun to notice him as soon as he laid their eyes on them. This was a new experience for Endou as he had always been the invisible one in the room. No exceptions.

People looked through him, never _at_ him. Until today.

'Goddamn you, Eichirou.'

As much as he liked being noticed, finally, he did find it to be detrimental to his usual passive observation. He would keep an eye on those he found most interesting or eavesdrop an any nearby conversations. It's not a habit he had formed for dubious reasons, rather, it was his way of participating on conversations.

Being invisible had made it difficult to join in on simple exchanges among classmates. After he made friends with Jugo and Kentarou, he simply followed their conversations until he decided his own opinion was needed. Mostly to fill in the gaps of information the two required or maybe to dissuade them from doing anything stupid.

It also made Kousuke look like a stalker, but in no way was this ever his intention. Not at all.

He was also _not_ a ninja.

'Goddammit, Eichirou!'

The discussions among the aristocrats was disconcerting, however. Had he not bothered to listen in to the subtleties in their exchange, Kousuke would have failed to notice the ulterior motives hidden in their words.

'They plan on having some of us marry into their families.' Kousuke gulped down the water until his glass was empty. "Crafty. But then again, politics."

Kousuke was aware of such things. He'd watched too many hospital drama and cross-class romantic soap operas with his family to not notice. The only thing that went unnoticed most of the time was him actually joining the family to watch it.

This thought made his eye twitch in annoyance but he shook it off soon enough.

The thing about those shows was that there was always a game between two or more political parties. A balance being threatened by external issues. This was the typical commoner-getting-married-to-nobility/wealth trope. But people of nobility or high positions of power also made relationships among their fellows for the sake of strengthening their positions or making allies.

An example of this was the historical figure of Nobunaga, who had his sister married off to a rival warlord for an alliance. Sure, that plan backfired when the rival betrayed the alliance, but the point still stands.

In politics, even people were tools, no matter their position or relevance.

By that logic, children of high positions as 'the Apostles of Ehito' were very much fruits of prestige just needing to be planted in their family garden. Once they bear a child with that family, claims of being a descendant of an Apostle would more or less grant the peerage a status of honor.

A long-term plan. Nonetheless, an effective one,. Eichirou had said that this place resembled the Papal Theocracy of Europe during the Middle Ages. Going by that, it meant a family with connections to their base religion would give the impression of being blessed by their god. Anyone with that much standing would be take advantage of the prospect for more.

Kousuke observed his glass as it glistened under the light of the halls. The moisture droplets streaked across the clear surface, remnants of the now empty flute glass.

'We would be milked dry like a resource until the next opportunity for them to gain more status.'

"Would you like some juice to drink, Apostle-sama?"

"Hm?"

Approaching Kousuke in his lonesome was someone unexpected. In actuality, the boy never expected _anyone_ to come close to him. He had been leaning in a small corner isolated from mostly everyone, even the classmates. There was no way he would expect _a noblewoman_ to come crashing his peace and quiet!

"Eh, uhm. Er."

He was unable to form words. How could he? The girl standing before him was a beauty in every sense of the word. Eyes shining as emeralds, face as fair as snow, a sea-green dress that emphasized her voluptuous assets, and golden locks arranged in drills.

'Wait, drills?!'

"Oh, I apologize." The noblewoman put away the flute glass of pleap juice and, from the maid who held a tray, grabbed another, clearer one. "Would you prefer water instead, Apostle-sama?"

"Ehhh? Uh…" Accepting the glass while she sneakily took his empty one, Kousuke nodded. "Thank you."

"Such words are unnecessary," she bowed low to pay respects. "It is an honor to serve… Apostle-sama?"

She tilted her head while looking up. It may have been a hidden question for him to introduce himself, which it was. But Endou had found it difficult to notice she hadn't done so yet due to the perspective he was being given.

'Melons. Definitely melons. With drills.'

"Apostle-sama?"

"Yes?" Kousuke's eyes shot up to meet her own, which, now that he thought about it, had gotten way too close for comfort. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, how rude of me." Lifting the side of her dress with her free hand, the lady about his age curtsied with a generous bow, and a similarly generous top view of her assets. "This one's name is Chloris Naiden, daughter of Baron Dulious Naiden and Baroness Kyrias Naiden. It is a great pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, Ko-Kousuke," the boy struggled to reply. "E-Endou Kousuke."

"Endou, is it?" she seemed to lick her lips as she repeated it. Her eyes sparkled with interest as she softly met his gaze, but Kousuke just thought it his imagination. "Again, it is an honor to know your name, Endou-sama."

"L-likewise, Naiden-san."

"Oh, please. Endou-sama, call me Chloris." She came close, closer than any woman had ever done so to the boy. Kousuke could feel his heart beating through his ribcage. "Better yet, call me Chloe."

"Ah, I ca-can't possibly, Naiden-san."

"Endou-sama," she pouted her lips and begged with her eyes. "Pretty please, call me Chloris at least."

The eyes were getting to him. Of all the assets and charms she was using in an attempt to get him to say her name, her eyes bore deep. Maybe it was because Kousuke had rarely spoken with anyone while maintaining eye-contact before, the exception being Yamamoto and forget anyone else, let alone girls his age, but the way she intensely stared back into his caused him to sweat buckets.

"Ch-Chloris-san, then." After a moment, he relented. Unable to deny her pleading gaze.

"Thank you very much, Endou-sama." She seemed satisfied with that. Or in any case, she wasn't about to enforce something more drastic like him calling her 'Chloe'. "Meeting a servant of Ehito has always been my dream."

'Ah, so she's a believer of the Church,' Endou internally sighed at his misfortune. "Is that so?"

"Yes," her smile seemed genuine. Like she fully believed the Church could do no wrong. "I've been raised as a child of Ehito and have always wanted to support the Church through my own abilities. Meeting an Apostle is like a reward all on its own. I thank you once again for this honor."

Her grasping his free hand was a surprise. Suddenly kissing it sent electricity running through his spine. He kept his face as passive as he could, but the gesture already had his mind overclocking to process the information.

"Ah, eh, um, Chloris-san?!," he stuttered incoherently.

"If there is anything you need, anything at all," Chloris' eyes burned with intense devotion. "All you have to do is ask of me, Endou-sama. As a believer of Ehito-sama, it will be an honor to assist you."

'She's crazy!' was all Endou could think about now. Eichirou had advised him to be himself, but Chloris Naiden's feminine charms as well as the fervent piety had knocked his mental state into panic. Unable to even respond properly, the advice for talking with girls was practically worthless. 'How do I get out of this? Someone, anyone, help me! Please!'

"Kora! Chloe-chan, you shouldn't cause trouble," another noblewoman entered the picture. "Can't you see you're being a nuisance to Apostle-sama?"

The new arrival was almost the spitting image of Chloris. Minus the green eyes, the lady in deep-sea blue was like a clone.

'Her sister, perhaps?' or so Endou thought.

"Please, forgive my eccentric daughter, Apostle-sama."

'Oh, her mother.' Kousuke's mind shut down. 'GOD, she looks too hot—I mean, young! Too young to be a mother!'

"N-No worries," he replied. "She meant nothing wrong after all."

"Your mercy honors us." The mother bowed while forcing her daughter to do so as well. "This Kyrias Naiden is grateful."

She seemed to bow even lower, causing a few other guests to look in their direction. The attention was now even more of a hassle than Kousuke ever dreamed it would become. Thinking he had enough, Kousuke tried to stop the gorgeous duo from making a scene.

"Please, Naiden-sama, raise your—"

"Call me Kyrias—, no. Call me Ria."

"C-come again?"

Endou was dumbstruck. Even this woman's eyes seemed to gleam with desire. Now that it happened twice, Kousuke truly felt he needed to escape. The flute glass of water in his hands had remained full, but somehow, Kousuke didn't feel like drinking at all. Running sounded like a better idea. Preferably _away_ from here.

"My apologies for my family causing you distress, Apostle-sama."

Another arrival came. This time, in the form of a short and thin man with eyes hidden from view by long greying bangs. Kousuke had failed to notice his presence, but he had probably been waiting there the whole time to be noticed.

"Your family?" Kousuke fumbled. Thoughts no longer in working order.

"Indeed," he bowed, but more with manly respect than fervent devoutness, as he held out a hand. "I am Baron Dulious. It is a great honor."

'Finally, someone normal,' he thought as the boy took the man's hand and shook it firmly. "Endou Kousuke. A pleasure to meet you."

It had been easier than the other two who were now breathing down from either side of his shoulders. Now that he noticed, it seems like they had him surrounded.

'Eh?'

"I truly am sorry for the trouble."

Endou didn't see the man's eyes. But he could tell from the voice, he was honestly remorseful for what they two women were going to do.

Despite his will to escape, Kosuke couldn't. He was pestered with questions, insisted with help should he need it, and finally insinuated he marry into the family. All the while, the Baron could do naught but apologize as he faded into the background.

Endou then began to wonder if _that_ would be his future.

The Baron had all but winked out of non-existence as his daughter and wife barraged Kousuke with attention. When struggled and succeeded in asking why they approached him out of all the other Apostles, Chloris had this to say.

"Well, it is embarrassing to say," she mumbled. "But having Endou-sama's sharp gaze rove all over my being, it felt like a premonition that I will, no, that I _must_ serve Ehito-sama through Endou-sama. And I just…"

She flushed deeply, but her eyes didn't leave Kousuke's.

'BULLSHIT!' Kousuke wanted to scream. 'I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT HER FOR MORE THAN A MINUTE!'

As a matter of fact, looking was the only thing he had done. He didn't know where this premonition came from or why she interpreted it so. But that was all lost on her mother who just smiled approvingly.

"If my daughter's duty is to serve the Church of Saints, I would not deny her wishes. In fact, I had suggested she join their convent."

'THEN DO THAT INSTEAD!' Kousuke wanted to scream but couldn't.

"If it is Ehito-sama's wishes otherwise, then _that_ should suffice."

"'That'?" the boy asked nervously.

"Please marry my child—"

"I'll have to politely decline." It was the first straight answer Kousuke had ever given the two women. They were gorgeous, yes. They were quite the characters, yes. But in no way was Endou Kousuke ever ready for such a commitment. "I mean no disrespect. However, I wish to focus on training myself and defeating the demons."

"Eh, Eeeeeeeeh?" Chloris, however, began to stutter instead. "Wa-was it so-something I sa-said? E-Endou-sama?"

"Not anything of the sort, Chloris-san. I just feel marriage won't work out given the current circumstances."

"I see," Kyrias-san, on the other hand, took it in a composed stride. "Then until you've accomplished your task, you don't think marriage is a viable option."

"Not in the near future, no."

"But… but… that's…"

Chloris looked mortified. Kyrias sad for her daughter. Kousuke, though, just sighed. He had dodged a bullet. He really felt bad denying a drop-dead beauty. But there was no way he could just get in there without getting ready for a life-long commitment.

"Dear, is there nothing we can do?"

Turning to face her husband, Kyrias-san asked for advice. Kousuke was feeling relieved though. There was no way they could be sure if they would be able to defeat the demons before Eichirou found a way back. Worse comes to worse, Kousuke could sabotage Kouki's party long enough before that happened.

It was a shameful tactic, but maybe it wouldn't come to that. After all, the Baron looked to be more sympathetic to his plight.

"We can't do anything until Endou-sama has done his duty." Dulious nodded in acknowledgement. "It would be arrogant of us to press him further. More so that he wishes to focus on our salvation. We mustn't be too greedy, my love, Chloe."

'YES! Thank you!' Kousuke would hug the man had he the courage but settled for an approving nod instead. "I thank you for your understanding."

"However, an engagement would fare better for now." Under the stern gaze of his wife and daughter, the Baron thought up a new way to ruin the rest of Kousuke's life in Tortus. "After all, once Endou-sama has accomplished the task given to him by Ehito-sama, there would be nothing left but to consummate the marriage, now wouldn't it?"

Kousuke's jaw drop while Chloris' eyes shone with hope.

"My dear, that's a perfect idea!"

'NO, IT WAS NOT!'

"Don't you think so, Chloe-chan?"

"Yes, mother."

'DON'T JUST AGREE WITH HER!'

As the two women went on in their own little world, planning for a marriage that was his downfall, Endou's eyes locked onto the Baron. The middle-aged man breathed deep and looked towards the boy. For a second, his eyes became visible from beneath the greyed locks of hair. Regretful in their green entirety.

'I'm honestly sorry for all this.'

Before he could even respond in anyway, Kousuke was whisked away by the mother-daughter pair to discuss future plans and his likes and dislikes.

"Getting to know you is one of the joys of a fiancé. You wouldn't deprive my daughter of such, would you, benevolent Apostle-sama?"

The insistent look of the mother and the pleading puppy-eyed expression of the child suppressed any will or attempts Kousuke had to resist. He was practically being dragged off into their own little world. His measly existence unable to hide him from such persistent people. Meanwhile, the Baron Dulious disappeared again from view. Maybe he was hiding behind him, but after checking, the old man was nowhere to be seen.

'He escaped? Dammit!'

Maybe it was a ploy to entrap him into their political game. Maybe Chloris-san was just an enthusiastic believer and her mother, Kyrias-san, was just misunderstanding things. Maybe Dulious was just using him to escape the two women. Either way, Kousuke was trapped and had no way out.

'Dammit, this is all Eichirou's fault!' he started his mental denial. 'If he didn't pull back my hair, I could have just been observing others in peace! Why did this have to happen _now_ of all times! When I see him again, I'll—'

"Ara, ara, making new friends have you, Kousuke-kun?"

Right on cue, his friend, enemy, most beloved yet despised classmate made his appearance. Arms linked with Princess Liliana and their free hands holding up flute glasses of the horribly sweet drink, Yamamoto Eichirou, dashing as ever in a suit, smiled with a hint of mischief at Kousuke's predicament while Princess Liliana shone with a warm and welcoming expression.

"Ah, Eichirou!" He nearly jumped out of the two noblewomen's arms just to escape and bow towards the couple. "And Liliana-sama, good evening to the both of you."

"Good evening to you as well, Endou-sama." Liliana, angel as she was, smiled and addressed Kousuke's problem behind him. "I see you've met Baron Naiden's family."

"It is good to meet you again, your Highness. I, Kyrias Naiden, am grateful to see you in good health."

"And I, her daughter Chloris, as well, your Highness."

The two women bowed in respect to the princess.

"We thank you for your invitation to this lovely event."

"We heard you organized it for the sake of welcoming the Apostles. To that, we must congratulate you on its success."

Speaking in tandem, the two aristocrats politely greeted, thanked, and complimented Princess Liliana without missing a beat. Such was the honed skill of subservient nobility.

"I'm happy you've been enjoying yourselves."

Liliana replied with a genuine smile. But to Kousuke, it looked kinda practiced and formal. Like a polite mask she had grown accustomed to.

"Princess, I don't mean to be rude, but who is this man you're being accompanied by this evening?"

And then they turned their attention to Eichirou. The boy in question, however, did what he did best.

"Good evening to you both, my Ladies. I am Yamamoto Eichirou, a friend of the Princess. Tonight, I am serving as Lady Liliana's escort."

He didn't mention being an Apostle. Just a friend to Liliana. Kousuke wanted to ask why but didn't think it was the best of times to do so.

"Ara, a friend of her Highness?"

"That is correct, Naiden-sama. And I am a friend to the Apostles as well." Eichirou sent Kousuke a knowing glance before nodding and turning to face Kyrias-san once more. "Speaking of the Apostles, I apologize for my rudeness, but may I borrow Endou-sama for a while?"

"Whatever for, if I may ask?" Kyrias-san looked curious. Chloris, however, had placed a hand on Kousuke's sleeve. A gesture that seemed cliché to indicate she was scared, but Kousuke felt it was more so he couldn't run away from her.

"The Princess wishes to meet with the other Apostles to get to know them better. As her friend and the one escorting her this evening, I suggested introducing them all at once. That way, everyone could enjoy the evening longer rather than waste time approaching them individually."

"But wouldn't it convey more respect if you'd approach each Apostle exclusively?" Chloris seemed adamant on not leaving Kousuke's side, but Eichirou was not one to be defeated in an argument now. Or Kousuke prayed for, at least.

"That may be the case for nobility, however, I have learned that the Apostles care not for such formalities. Rather they see it as an unnecessary." He visibly glanced towards Kousuke. On cue, Endou nodded in agreement to which even Chloris pouted in defeat. "Worry, not, Naiden-sama. I promise to return him once our business with my Lady is done."

'Please don't!' Kousuke wanted to shout, but Eichirou's smile was so threateningly ambiguous, the boy decided to remain silent for fear of worse. And he thought this afternoon was bad. Kousuke didn't wish to poke any more holes at Yamamoto ever again. Not that he even knew what he did to deserve such treatment.

Thinking about it, that treatment had probably led to this predicament in the first place!

"I guess we could allow some time before we resume our talks." Before Kousuke could lose his head, Kyrias-san quickly conceded to Eichirou's request while Chloris reluctantly released his sleeve. Maybe it was more in respect for Liliana rather than his friend, but in any case, the noblewoman didn't dispute it further. "Chloe-chan and I have a few more people to greet tonight, so please."

"I thank you for your generosity, Naiden-sama."

"No need for that. It is for the Princess' sake, after all. Well then, we'd best be off to finish our pleasantries. Excuse us, your highness."

"Please, the night is young. No need to stand around and bother yourselves for my sake and enjoy yourselves."

"See you later, Endou-sama!"

The duo waved at Kousuke as they took their leave. The boy in question just smiled and waved back, albeit reluctantly. Standing next to him, Eichirou was stifling a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" the boy demanded.

"Pfft~ nothing really. Would you like some juice? It's like apple juice from Earth."

"It is quite delicious." Even Liliana was recommending it.

"No thanks," however, Kousuke took one look at the glass and its sweet-smelling content and looked away. "The flavor's too strong for my taste."

"A shame. Then, how was your evening, 'Endou-sama'?" Eichirou cleared the hidden chuckle but the sarcasm remained. "I trust you've been behaving yourself."

"Shut up you jackass, this was your fault to begin with!" The two's casual exchange was typical of friends. But then, Kousuke remembered that he wasn't alone with Eichirou right now. "Ah—! I apologize for my language, Liliana-sama."

"No, no! It's no problem for me, Endou-sama." The princess just waved it off before bowing in turn. "I should be the one to apologize for letting you see such a disgraceful display among nobles."

When Kousuke didn't seem to get it, Eichirou stepped up to explain.

"What my Lady is trying to say is that she's sorry for letting their politics ruin your evening."

"Our nobles are really fervent believers of Ehito-sama after all. Apostles such as yourselves would be like a physical manifestation of Ehito-sama's will and would be seen as prizes to be claimed."

"I realized that as soon as the talk jumped from handing me water to a marriage proposal." Kousuke's words seethed with annoyance. The talk wasn't even a talk. They just sped past him before he could have a say in the matter. "Thanks for the warning."

"Eheheh," Liliana made a regretful smile. It reminded Kousuke of Baron Dulious but more filled with life than the defeated one of the middle-aged invisible man with a thin existence akin to him. "I truly am sorry for all the trouble my Kingdom has caused you."

Kousuke didn't really hold the girl at fault for anything. She may have felt responsible for her people, but she couldn't do anything to stop them at all times. Politicians were the same. Not everyone in power could stop those beneath them from doing their own thing without anything short of martial law or the punishment of death. And the girl was too far off from anything that drastic. The girl's remorse was acceptable.

"I, too, am sorry for having a hand at that."

His friend's smile, however, was anything but remorseful. It ticked Kousuke off in more ways than one, but he would let it slide. For now.

"Eh? Did you do something, Eichirou-sama?" in surprise too his response, Liliana tilted her head.

"Indeed, my Lady. Just this morning, after training, Endou-sama came to check on me out of concern for my health. When the topic of the party came along, I saw it fit to help him get ready." Kousuke glared at the boy as the 'help' was unnecessary. "I mean, wouldn't you say Endou-sama looks more handsome with his hair pulled back, my Lady?"

The princess gave him a look up and down. Endou felt embarrassed for a girl checking him out, but Liliana did so out of respect as a friend of a friend and nothing more. Something the _other_ noble teenager did for very different reasons.

"I have to agree with Eichirou-sama. Your current appearance fits well in a formal setting. Had Eichirou-sama not identified you as a friend, I would have possibly mistaken you as a noble from the Empire."

"Th-Thanks, I guess."

Kousuke took the compliment as it were, but still blushed while looking away. It all disappeared when he noticed Eichirou was trying to stop another chuckle escape and resulted him nearly stepping on the guy's foot.

"So, why exactly are you 'borrowing' me tonight?" Getting back to the excuse his friend used to relieve him of the noblewomen, Kousuke's neutral glare returned. "Unless you plan on tossing me back to the _wolves_."

"I meant what I said. Liliana-sama wants to meet with the class. I was going to introduce her to Hatayama-sensei and the other girls, but could you get Kentarou and the others as well?"

Kousuke nodded. The problem was past and it wouldn't do to keep seething at his friend. But looking around, he had to ask.

"What about Kouki?" he nodded to the Hero still accompanied by the Pope.

"Amanogawa can wait." Eichirou dismissed the most important person in their group without a care in the world. "He's _busy _right now, and I doubt Ishtar would put much importance in the Apostles thanking the real organizer and host of this party."

His friend said the last bit only for Kousuke to hear. Glancing at Liliana and then to the Pope, King and Hero, Endou saw his point. The way the pope relegated the king to the sidelines despite his position made it clear that the monarchy played second fiddle to the Church. That being the case, there was little reason for Ishtar Langbard to show at least the minimum respect for the girl.

"Got it. I'll call them over." Before he made to leave, however, Kousuke glanced around once more. "What about Hajime?"

"Wasn't Hajime-kun in attendance?" Eichirou asked, surprised. How could he not. They both knew Hajime came in with the class during the entrance. And yet he was nowhere to be seen. Looking around as well, Eichirou sighed and replied. "I'll escort Liliana-sama to the girls first. Then I'll look for Hajime."

"Then, I'll help after I go get the others. Please excuse me, Liliana-sama."

Giving the princess a bow, Endou turned and left to find his other friend. Eichirou, meanwhile, apologized for keeping the Lady waiting and guided her to the circle of Apostles that went mostly avoided by the nobles due to the protective ring they made around a certain small teacher.

'Now, where are the others?' Kousuke asked himself.

Finding friends in the crowd was easy. Well, it usually was for Kousuke. Normally, he was perceptive and invisible. Being able to sneak past strangers and find people he knew would have been a piece of cake.

Tonight, though? He was neither. His eyes were exposed, making it hard to look anywhere without gathering attention. Said attention made it difficult to look around. Such was his current problem.

And he still blamed Eichirou for having something to do with it.

His eye twitched in annoyance as he spotted the thirsty wolves in the distance and changed directions to avoid them.

'Eichirou owes me for this, the prick.'

* * *

"Ganbare, Ai-chan-sensei."

Hajime watched as his short and adorable teacher turned down another suitor. Taking a step outside the crowded and bustling hall, Hajime enjoyed the view from his spot on the balcony outside. He had a clear line of sight to the classmates where he stood and he enjoyed the cool night air as well.

Looking towards his class, it would've been a victorious scene. Especially for the fan club. They had tried desperately to keep the bachelors away from their angel, but when the suitors were about ten to thirteen years old, it became hard for Ai-chan to deny their proposals while _not_ making them cry.

'Ah, another one. Oh no, this one's already crying.' Hajime smiled apologetically for his teacher. 'He must've seen what she'd done to the others before him.'

Raising his glass of water to toast the young man good luck, Hajime sighed inwardly.

At the beginning, the responsible adult in her forced Hatayama Aiko to step up and obstruct the teenage nobles trying to pick up some of the girls. Not a second later, an elderly lord took her hand and bowed in respect, only to suddenly offer his grandson's hand in marriage.

The scene was shocking to say the least. More so that said grandson was only nine years of age. But maybe it was expected of the high society in Tortus. Age differences of ten years or so were negligible as long as both parties had status and wealth. Judging by how they all assumed the classmates ages just by looking, not a single Tortusian present would take Hatayama Aiko as an adult as everyone else was around sixteen to almost eighteen.

Even in Tortus, Ai-chan was treated as a child. How cruel to the poor teacher.

But the teacher aside, there had been several ladies to approach the boys from Japan. One or two had already approached Kouki. And by 'one or two', Hajime meant 'one or two dozen'.

'In another world and yet he was still popular.' Hajime shuddered at the thought. 'Whatever god blessed Kouki really has bad taste.'

Not to say that he hated Amanogawa, but Hajime could just never see eye to eye with the guy.

For starters, he was ignorant of all other things besides him being right. Being right wasn't bad. It just made him seem arrogant to only view things his way. Hajime felt really bad for Yaegashi to have to look after the buffoon.

Another thing he didn't like about Kouki was that he failed to even look at others properly. When he kept telling Hajime to 'fix himself', Hajime could never understand what was there to fix in the first place. He had his life on track. He was pursuing his dream as he should be.

Even if the grades and lifestyle he had were average to below, Hajime never found it detrimental to achieving his dreams of being a game programmer. Even his parents approved of it. Sounds bad, but when you consider that his mom was a shoujo mangaka and his dad owned a game developer company, it actually makes sense that they support him.

Sure, Hajime lived like an average joe, minus the physical fitness and healthy routine, but it was, quoting his parent, 'to build character by working for your own dream with your own hands'.

Aside from his monthly allowance, which was generous enough by any parent's standards, Hajime had opted to learn the basics by working part-time in his dad's company or as his mom's assistant. Doing that, he got the gist of how harsh the industry was beforehand and had steeled himself for all the bashing and hardships to come once high school was over.

It was also a partial reason as to why he could endure Hiyama and the other idiots' bullying.

They didn't really bother him. Not at all… Okay, maybe they did, but only a little. Now though, he couldn't care less about Hiyama Daisuke and his posse of Bastards. Why?

Hajime smiled as he pulled out a small piece of paper from his coat. A magic circle engraved on one side with a different, smaller one on the other.

It was one of Eichirou's ideas. Initially, Hajime had found out that for him to use magic, he needed to have the circle. If one had aptitude, the circle could become smaller due to omitting a few lines. In Hajime's case, one _without_ the aptitude _or_ the mana requirement, Eichirou had a solution.

"'_Shrink the font size'_, huh?" the smile grew to a smirk. Like he was laughing at an inside joke.

The solution was a stupid one, for sure. Had Break Senec been present when Yamamoto offered the solution for those with weak magics that relied on too large of a circle for combat, the old man would've cried on outrage.

Honestly, the only reason why Hajime had ruled out him using magic for combat to supplement his Transmutation skill was that the circles his body required would've been drawn on paper the size of posters. Too bulky to be any good. Shrinking the circles to the size of a card enabled him to utilize spells as efficiently as any other mage without the con of carrying super large drawings.

Granted, they had tested it for only harmless spells like Candlelight and Eichirou's new Adhesive spell. Hajime prayed that Kousuke would forgive for activating that paper on his seat. In the first place, Eichirou threw that there as soon as Hajime had completed the chant. What an ass, but it was still hilarious. Anyway, there were several other things they hadn't tested just yet but that could wait until tomorrow, or the day after. They didn't have much to do anyway.

"Status, open," taking out his Plate from the coat's chest pocket, Hajime checked the contents he hadn't seen for the past few days.

* * *

Name – Nagumo Hajime | Age - 17 Years Old

Gender - Male | Level - 2

Class - Synergist

Strength - 12 | Vitality - 12

Resistance - 12 | Agility - 12

Magic - 15 | Magic Resistance - 15

Skills:

· Language Comprehension

· Transmute

* * *

Such was the results of the past days of training. There was improvement, just not much,. Compared to the others, this kind of growth was a disappointment. But there was still hope.

Looking over to the magic as well as the magic resistance, they both jumped by five. It must've been due to the practicing he had with Eichirou. Spending time in the library drawing on paper wasn't a waste after all. If he could gain stats like these after a few days, then maybe getting to a hundred wouldn't be too far off in the future.

Eichirou had indicated once, during their study, that magic increased via practice. This proved that. Then what about the second suggestion he made?

'If magic helps the body grow, wouldn't increasing one's magic be just as helpful as training the body?'

It was a theory, at best. But that meant they could still test it out. This was just Hajime getting to level two. If he could greatly improve his stats other than magic by level three, then it would prove Eichirou's point.

'With this, my class doesn't seem as hopeless as before.'

Tucking away the plate, Hajime returned to admiring the paper with two magic circles in his hand. Eichirou's most recent creation. The larger circle was the simplest one. It was a light spell. The smaller one on the other side was a more complex wind spell. The difference of size was due to Eichirou's theory at work.

After studying what they could in the span of a few days, they made leaps and bounds in the field. It was made easier by the skills they had.

Using the Language Comprehension skill, one could understand the formula written in the drawing. Initially, Hajime was surprised to use the skill that way, but after Eichirou explained that the circle was just an old language drawn out in patterns, runes, and shapes read in a counterclockwise fashion, it made sense to him.

In the first place, designing a circle enabled one to create any number of spells for solutions to specific problems. Mathematical and scientific equations worked just as well, but they were read from left to write like the English language. If you thought about the contents as a statement, there would be a resulting truth when the spell was viable.

Take Fireball for example. Hajime would have to utilize other components such as trajectory, size, speed and more besides the mana cost, power, and attribute. Given that he met the requirements even considering his lack of aptitude, it would chuck a fireball at his target. However, there was a catch.

The circle's contents had to be rational for the spell to function normally and work as intended.

If the components such as shape were changed to make the spell into a sheet of flames and the mana cost was reduced, the distance and trajectory, no matter how specific, would cause it to fail if it didn't correspond to a reasonable extent. Modifying the example fireball like so would cause it to float like a bedsheet in the wind and burn on the ground before ever reaching its target due to the lack of magic resource and the wind resistance that would prevent its flight.

There were other rules and applications for the circles. Many more.

Hajime thought back to Eichirou's example Candlelight spell. He had set the power as high as possible, lowered the mana cost, then introduced a sound function via the wind attribute. In the beginning, the Candlelight spell was just a light attribute spell, but when he added the wind, the sudden complexity of the circle increased, making it difficult to use if one didn't have the right aptitude for at least one of the elements. The new spell demanded he applied several other components based on the wind element besides the light one. Even the mana cost, despite being lowered, had tripled in amount.

Eichirou had a solution to that.

Simultaneous casting or simulcasting for short. It was the act of using multiple spells at the same time. Rather than mix two things at once, why not just keep them split and activate them separate from each other?

'Same time, different sides,' Eichirou had said, hence the two-sided, magic-circle-imbued paper.

With this technique and the removal of the size hindrance, even someone as weak as Hajime could become flexible in the heat of battle. Of course, they hadn't applied it to an actual fight yet, but Hajime hoped they would soon.

"Good evening to you, Apostle-dono." One of the guests approached Hajime, the respectful tone calling his attention more than the speaker's appearance did. A man about as tall as Sakagami Ryutarou, with a build just slightly smaller and more finely dressed, held his arm out to shake Hajime's. "I'm the Minister of Defense, Rhett Decorose."

"Er, Hajime," the boy floundered for a second before taking and shaking the man's offered hand. "Nagumo Hajime."

"Nice to meet you, Nagumo-dono—"

"Uhm, please, just Hajime will do."

The man raised an eyebrow at the interruption but didn't take offense to it. Instead, he smiled and nodded.

"Very well, Hajime-dono."

'Just 'Hajime' is fine, y'know. And what's with the 'dono'?' The boy wanted to criticize the choice of words but refrained out of respect for the elder. "So, Decorose-sama, what brings you outside?"

"I was actually going to ask the same of you, Hajime-dono."

"Ahahah," Hajime let out a nervous laugh as he was prone to do. "I'm not used to parties like this."

"So I've gathered," the old man sighed. When Hajime made a face that said he didn't understand, the older man explained. "I've been talking around with your fellow Apostles. It seems such extravagant parties are not the norm for your world."

"Yeah, well. In a sense, we're all commoners on Earth."

It was the truth, plain and simple. Despite how well-respected they were and how the people of Tortus praised their existence as Apostles, they were nothing more than ordinary kids from their world. Even Kouki who seemed too perfect in everyone's eyes was just as much a commoner as any of the others were.

"I've heard from your educational instructor about that as well. She says you all follow a meritocratic system in your world, despite their still being monarchies. It's a fairly interesting concept, but I only ever heard of meritocratic systems from the Hoelscher Empire."

'Educational instructor? Hatayama-sensei must've informed him about Japan's constitutional monarchy.'

The ironic thing about that system though was that the Emperor of Japan mainly held ceremonial responsibilities and not actual power… Wait a minute. Was that really any different from Heiligh's King being controlled by the Pope?

Huh. Not really different, in a bad sort of way for the Heiligh Kingdom. Damn.

Eichirou was right about worrying. Unlike Japan, which was run by the Prime Minister, this place was still a monarchy. If the king wasn't in control of the kingdom, then what was the point?

"Hajime-dono?"

"Ah!" Hajime snapped back to reality. "I'm sorry for spacing out, Decorose-sama. What was the question?"

"I was asking about your class and what you have to contribute in the war against the demons."

.

.

.

"Come again?"

"It's a part of my job as the Minister of Defense, you see," Decorose explained. "Equipping the Apostles with the nation's best equipment is my responsibility. Now that we are at war, I can't be irresponsible and just hand you and your fellows gear without considering how best you would apply them."

Well. That was reasonable. If they were to win against the demons, then they needed not just any equipment, but the best ones suited for their classes. But then there was the big question.

'What would the Synergist need?'

He didn't want to feel worthless about it. As a production-based class, the best he was opted for was support duty. Blacksmithing, crafting, maybe fortification building since Eichirou did suggest that mineral control could give an advantage when creating small forts, barricades, or base defenses.

But not only was it embarrassing to be the only one downgraded from the Hero's companions, it also made him feel bad as the only one not on the frontlines assisting the others. The exception was, again, Yamamoto Eichirou, but the guy never wanted to join the war in the first place. Which left Hajime in the 'wants to help, but useless in war' category.

But then again, what exactly could he do?

"Hajime-dono?"

"… Synergist…"

"I'm sorry," the old man leaned closer. "Could you repeat that?"

"I'm a Synergist. Currently level two. I only have my Transmute skill which I plan to use for combat."

"…"

"…"

Minister Rhett Decorose remained silent. Hajime was as well. During their silence, the older man looked the boy up and down before settling with a sigh.

"I see." He took a sip from his drink. Judging by the sweet fragrance, it was pleap fruit juice, but Hajime could care less. What worried him was the man's verdict. "Well, I can make arrangements for you to meet with Master Volpen. He is the head Synergist of the Kingdom and a master craftsman."

"Volpen? Craftsman?" Hajime repeated the words, expecting the outcome but, at the same time, not wanting to hear it.

"Indeed. We will see if you can learn from him," the minister nodded but his face was akin to disappointed. Or maybe it was pity. "And in time, when you've mastered your class, we will have you make weapons for the army—"

"With all due respect, Decorose-sama," Hajime spoke calmly, but his voice sounded worn-out, desperate. "I wish to fight alongside my friends."

"'Alongside'? You mean you wish to fight as a warrior on the frontlines? With a non-combat class?"

"Yes."

The man stared at him. The boy stared back. He was defiant in his glare. Or at least, he wished to convey that defiance as much as possible.

Hajime didn't want to be relegated to the back. He wanted to fight. To contribute. To prove he wasn't weak. Just like how he didn't want Shirasaki to baby him, to spoil him with her concern, he wanted to prove himself as a person, as their Apostle.

Hajime didn't care whether Hiyama and the others laughed at him. He just wanted to prove to himself that he too could fight next to those the people of Tortus called Heroes.

He expected the minister to refuse.

"HAHAHAHAHAHHA!"

He didn't expect him to laugh.

"That's an amusing joke, Hajime-dono," the man calmed himself, but the pitying gaze remained. "However, this is a war we're talking about. I can't have you being selfish and putting yourself at risk."

"But," Hajime just grit his teeth and spoke back. "But I don't want to leave my friends to fight on their own—!"

"Hajime-dono," the minister's indifferent voice was enough to silence the boy to submission. "No matter what you may wish for, we each have to carry our own weight. This is a war. People are about to risk their lives. What exactly would you be able to give them? What exactly could you provide?"

The man named Rhett Decorose was of considerable age, but his eyes and expression were those of a man doing his utmost for his duty. Stern and demanding in that regard.

"Other than a burden on those friends you wish to help?"

It was the same eyes his parents gave him when they worked. Ones that expected results, no matter how harsh the method would be to achieve a looming deadline. They were cold, calculating. More intimidating than any of his classmates could ever give Hajime.

The truth was clear. It was oppressive, unfairly so.

Hajime knew that his stats couldn't keep up with the rest. Despite the growth he had just recently achieved, at the rate it was going, he might as well be deadweight. Even with Eichirou's theory, as it was, it was _just_ a theory. He couldn't prove anything without further testing. And yet, if he could prove he could catch up, Hajime was sure it still wasn't enough to convince the Minister of Defense otherwise.

"Now, now, Minister Decorose. You shouldn't dismiss an Apostle without giving him the chance to prove himself."

The familiar voice came from the entrance to the balcony. Turning to face him the same time as the old man, both came face to face with his friend.

"And who might you be?" The minister addressed Eichirou who appeared out of nowhere. "Weren't you the Princess' escort? What's your name, boy?"

"Yamamoto Eichirou, at your service." A formal bow, perfect ninety degrees with a hand over his heart and the other behind his back. "That is correct, I am her escort for this evening."

"Ho? If that is the case, Yamamoto-dono, where is she and why are you not by her side?"

"I was actually gathering the Apostles, Lord Decorose. My Lady is meeting with a few of them now. She wishes to understand the saviors of Tortus and get to know them better." Lifting his head, Eichirou's eyes locked on the minister's. "You could say she puts more effort in it than you."

"What did you say?" The man's tone turned hostile as soon as Eichirou stated his opinion. "You dare mock my judgement, child?"

"Not to mean any offense, Minister," Eichirou approached the old minister with his head held high and stopped between him and Hajime. "But to designate one as a 'burden' before assessing their abilities is a careless way to judge. More so for someone in a high position of power."

Despite being polite, Eichirou's tone was very much defiant and criticizing the older man. So much so that it worried Hajime.

"Oy, Eichirou-kun. What are you doing?"

"Stating the obvious, Nagumo-sama."

Hajime didn't know why he was being called by his surname when they were already past that point, but he failed to notice as he saw his friend confront the more powerful man before them both.

"You and I both know. Besides the rest of the Apostles, you are more capable than anyone else present in this party. To be deemed as a _burden_ by those _people_," Eichirou smirked, annoying the minister even further but reassured Hajime in turn. "How arrogant can they be when they are the ones _begging to be saved_? You shouldn't listen to the whining of such weaklings. None of them have a right to deny your efforts. More so because you have been doing more to protect them than they have done for themselves."

The words struck a chord in Hajime. He _had_ been working hard ever since they got here. Sure, the current achievement wasn't much to look at. But compared to just wasting away, he had done _something_ for the sake of this cause.

To say it was more than what the people of Tortus have done for themselves might be too extreme. But the idea that they relied on him and his classmates' help suggested they gave up saving themselves, it was not wrong. In fact, the mere summoning of kids for help was the definition of desperation.

"You!" However, the minister didn't take this lying down. Teeth bared and eyes fuming with anger, the man was just about to blow in rage. If Hajime knew the man's exact age, he would have assumed Decorose was about to get a stroke. "Where do you get the gall to insinuate our people have given up?"

"You tell me, Minister." Eichirou, on the other hand, was calm as a breeze. "Your people were the ones who stopped raising their weapons, prepared to die for your country and beliefs, and turned to god to end your war. Are you saying that this is your solution to every problem your kingdom faces? To arm children and ask them to accomplish something adults could not?"

"Children they may be," the man seethed but remained composed. "But they are more than that. They are the Apostles of Ehito-sama. Surely their strength is necessary to end the suffering of the innocents."

"If you wanted to end the suffering of the innocents, you would let them die a painless death," the boy argued back, grimly but gracefully. "Nobles enjoying parties while your soldiers and peasants ration themselves, such is the wastefulness of the aristocracy you call a Kingdom. Had you desired to win a war, you would have exerted all your efforts into arming the civilians and training what men you can."

The valid points ruffled the minister's feathers. He glared down the boy even more. But Eichirou stood tall under the burning gaze.

"You speak as if you've known war. Tell me, child, how far does your arrogance go? Will you claim to have survived fighting demons and monsters as they pour down their magic and overwhelming strength to tear a man asunder?"

"Of course not. I am not a fool that claims he knows the horrors that demons and monsters bring to the people."

The man held a victorious smile, but even that vanished soon.

"But have you seen an entire city vanish from existence, minister? Have you fought against an enemy that could ruin you, the people you claim to be worth saving, this castle, and this city with a single strike?"

"Such a thing," the man tried to scoff. "How can that compare with a monster horde overrunning a city?"

"Well, when a horde devastates a location, they would slaughter all living things there, correct? You'd at least find something to bury."

The man fell silent. Hajime noted the shaking in the minister's hands but also the composed Eichirou's change in tone.

"Tell me minister. Have you known true despair? Knowing you can be erased from existence at the wave of someone's hand? That your very life, and everything around you, weighed on the whim of strangers? To not even be left remains for your loved ones to remember you by. To not even have anything left to remember them by either. All of you, all you've ever lived for, your homes, your treasures, your legacy, turned to dust in a flash. Forgotten by the sands of time."

The silence was intense. Hajime noted he could hear his own heartbeat through his ears.

"Or would you rather die slowly, watching as all you've ever worked for crumbled into ashes. All your cities empty and rot. All your fields and cattle decay and melt into nothingness. All the while, you come to understand, that even if anyone else survives, there would be no do overs. No returning from the brink. You will be forced out of your homes to seek out new ones in a world so cruel, you ask yourself if God is dead."

Hajime couldn't see Eichirou's eyes, but he could feel the chill in the words. Despite them just being words, Hajime felt something heavy take hold of his heart, a grave disparity that threatened to force him down into hopelessness. It was… strange. Eerily so. He felt like he was sweating. Like it was affecting him physically as well as mentally. The minister must've felt it as well. His aged face had long gone white. The way he suddenly took a step back as Eichirou stepped forward was enough to prove it.

Minister Rhett Decorose was afraid. Not of Hajime or of Eichirou, but rather of the message his friend was conveying.

Hajime, of course, knew what he was talking about. Nukes from their world was nothing new. It had been an age-old weapon, so outdated that it had been parodied in video games and movies. Of course, the media downplayed its actual effects. It wouldn't do to cause a panic or unrest, after all.

But Hajime, through his own research and history buff tendencies, knew there were WMDs capable of wiping more than just cities off the face of the planet. Things like kinetic bombardment and carpet bombing were amazingly simple ones. The target area was decimated by precision strikes. Mustard gas and radiation bombs were the more devastating examples. Not only did they cause death and decay to the populace, they contaminated the area, leaving nothing behind for life to thrive.

Hajime knew about them and how bad they were. Public media played it safe by using complicated words to lessen the impact, but Hajime was not stupid. Those things were deadly. Some inhumanely so and they were nothing to joke about. But he had never felt this hopeless about it.

Looking towards Eichirou's back, he thought the boy knew the same and probably felt juts as unaffected about them as Hajime was. Their world had never gone so far as to start World War 3. Not yet. And Hajime had never heard of such devastating things used in the places Eichirou had been to before. The boy didn't even look like he went through anything as traumatizing. Then there was no reason for his words to have such weight in them, like he lived through all of it.

So that begs the question:

'_Where's this heaviness coming from?_'

"Eichirou-kun." Instead of letting the minister get a heart attack for being unable to breathe, Hajime called to his friend, grabbing his shoulder to pull him back from further threatening the old man. It was difficult too. The boy's posture was firm and prepared. 'Almost like he was this morning…!'

"Oy! Eichirou." Not wasting a second, Hajime pulled the boy back with both arms and made him look Hajime in the eye. "That's enough, man."

Eichirou nearly stumbled back if not for the grip Hajime had on his friend's shoulders. Hajime almost missed the glow in his violet eyes, but the minister probably didn't even notice. He was too busy catching his breath with an arm on the balcony supporting his body. The heavy feeling in the atmosphere now gone, back to the calm evening air.

"You alright?"

"Y-yeah. I… I'm okay."

Even Hajime noticed how unsure the boy was but didn't question it. There was nothing to gain if even the one affected did not know what he just did.

Whatever it was, it could have been a skill or something magical. In this other world were anything and everything were practically unknowns to Earthlings, Hajime couldn't and wouldn't even try to draw conclusions until he had a clearer understanding of the boy's dilemma. Eichirou just recovered and looked back at the heavily breathing minister before approaching him.

"Are you alright, minister?" Offering a helping hand, his friend took a few steps towards the man. But as soon as he laid eyes on the boy, Minister Decorose stiffened, tried to retreat, and dangerously lean back on the balcony. "Oy, minister! Calm down—!"

"Bleurgh!" the man heaved and coughed over the balcony's edge. Some contents of his belly escaping into the courtyard below.

"What the? Decorose-sama—? Eichirou?" Hajime had tried to approach the old man but Eichirou's arm stopped him before he could take another step forward. A glance to the normally composed boy's expression showed the he didn't know what to do either but shook his head to indicate approaching was a bad idea.

"Those visions!" Rhett started. "Those people! How—how?!"

"How—what?! You're not making any sense, Minister. Please calm down."

"Answer me!" The man had raised his voice. Enough so that a few eyes were drawn to their location. None approached, but they looked to the minister strangely as the calm man had lost all composure. "How were all those people—how could so many just… just disappear?!"

The two teens looked to each other and shrugged. Neither Hajime nor Eichirou knew or understood what the man was rambling about. Nor did they get to find out.

"Oy! Liliana-sama?! Are you alright? Liliana-sama?! Please, hang in there!"

The sudden shout in the hall drew the attention of both teens on the balcony. Soon enough, they were rushing in alongside the other guests that began to crowd around the Apostles' corner, leaving Minister Decorose behind to stagger to his feet. Hajime spared the man a glance but couldn't stay as Eichirou rushed into the hall ahead of him

"Please, excuse me. Pardon me, sir. Apologies, madam. Ayako? What happened?!"

Hajime arrived to see Liliana in Tsuji-san's arms.

"Yamamoto-kun?" Shirasaki-san, leaning over her to check her vitals, had a worried look on her face. "I-I don't know what's wrong!"

"Kaori, calm down!" Yaegashi was composed as ever but had her brows furrowed. "Yamamoto wouldn't be able to understand you if you don't."

"Right!" Taking a deep breath, the girl quickly regained herself, albeit still shaking in her dress. "She's been breathing rapidly for a while now. Her heart rate is too fast to be normal. Also, she was complaining about feeling dizzy before she collapsed!"

"I got it." Eichirou scanned the princess up and down, whispering something to himself before nodding and carrying her in his arms. "Thanks for watching over her. Go calm yourself down for a second. Helina-san!"

"Yes, Yamamoto-sama?"

The maid had appeared out of nowhere. Hajime recognized her as Liliana's personal maid from the time the Princess had escorted Eichirou to the library.

"Prepare a clean bed for the princess and call a doctor or physician. We don't know what's wrong exactly, but we need to give my Lady some space—"

"What's going on?" Right on cue, Amanogawa had made his way from the center of the hall to stand before Eichirou's path. "Yamamoto? Where are you taking the Princess?"

"Somewhere she can rest." The plain answer didn't seem enough as Kouki suddenly blocked his way. "Hero-sama. Out of my way, please."

"I can't just let you go without a proper explan—! Shizuku?!"

Stepping up to push the errant Hero aside, Yaegashi made to shove Amanogawa out of the way, much to Kouki's shock.

"Now is not the time. Yamamoto, go."

Nodding his thanks, Eichirou rushed past the pair, but not before Kouki grabbed on to his coat sleeve.

"Wait, I'm not done!"

"I don't have time for this farce of yours, Amano—"

"Chloe-chan? CHLOE!"

Interrupting the two, another cry came from the far side of the hall. A woman leaned over another girl that resembled herself. The unconscious girl didn't respond and Hajime could see she was having difficulty breathing.

"Marcus? Son?!"

"Dear, what's wrong?!"

THUD

A scream resounded from the other side of the ballroom. More had collapsed and even more were visibly struggling. Not just in breathing. A few had begun to vomit and complain of headaches or dizziness before outright collapsing.

The hall was beginning to fall into panic. Not even the King or Pope could stop the madness from spreading. Kouki had been enveloped in shock and with a loosened grip to his sleeve, Eichirou shook him off easily.

"Hajime-kun. Hajime-kun!"

"Eh?" Surprised at the sudden shout of his name, Hajime faced Eichirou who had a serious but calm look to his face. Ever so slightly, Hajime noted the small violet glow behind the boy's glasses. Whatever it was, it was happening again. But neither the heavy feeling nor the dangerous air was present. Instead, Eichirou's face seemed to calm and reassure Hajime. "What?"

"We need to calm everyone down. Use the slip we've tested before. First variant, weak blast."

"Er, right! Everyone, close your eyes and cover your ears!" Pulling out the paper he had been playing around with before, Hajime shouted a warning to the classmates before he started the dual chant. _"Flash as lightning into the sky. Crack with thunder as you fly. Silence their voice, catch their eye. Blast away as the spell dies. Light and Blow, as I command thee, Flashbang!"_

Tossing the circle-imprinted paper into the air, the wind element's pre-activation kicked in and launched itself skyward. After three seconds midflight, the small paper burned into a crisp, but nor before it set off.

FLASH

BOOM

The guest's ears rung. Their eyes caught the flashing light. For a second, there was a calm.

"Amanogawa," Eichirou, unfazed unlike their fellow classmates, spoke up just before the pretty boy Hero could shout for an explanation. "Do your duty as a Hero. Calm these people down before we have a riot on our hands. I know you want an explanation, but if you don't help me _right now_, then people will start dying. Understand?"

"Guh… Fine. Everyone! Lend me your strength."

Kouki, the usual confidence gone, hesitated before nodding and calling the classmates' attention. The others, or most of them that weren't shocked by the Flashbang spell, started to help as well.

"Yaegashi, you and Hatayama-sensei help gather all those that fell unconscious or are feeling sick."

"Wawawawa—where to?" Ai-chan-sensei, flustered but listening, popped her head from behind Sonobe-san, one of her fan club members.

"To a larger, separate hall. We need to isolate any who need help. Helina-san, have someone guide them there. Get as many of the servants to assist them if possible. If anyone is free, have them check if there are others feeling ill. Even if it's just something small, make sure they join everyone in being checked. Also, if you find anyone well-versed in healing magic, send them to help the physicians."

"Understood, Yamamoto-sama."

Eichirou, still carrying the princess in his arms, quickly fired off instructions as if he was used to these kinds of emergencies. Hajime noticed Eichirou whispering to their teacher. For a while, everyone did their own tasks with Yaegashi and Ai-chan taking the lead.

Then, he left. Hajime knew he was taking responsibility for the princess and didn't bother with disturbing him. He just prayed to whatever god was out there to watch over his friend.

Hajime instinctively felt, from the expression his friend made alone, that he needed it.

* * *

This was bad. This was really, really bad. In more ways than I could ever dream they would be.

Liliana had been poisoned.

Laying quiet and peaceful on the bed, the Princess of Heiligh rested. I stood by near the door. I had just finished sending the physician off after he gave his unsure conclusions. Deciding that he may be able to find the reason by checking with the other patients, I wished the man good luck. It wasn't just Liliana, after all. There were about two dozen or so victims.

But I wasn't as worried as the old doctor. I already knew why Liliana was sick. The cause that the doctor failed to figure out?

I lifted the flute glass up to eye-level. Its sweet-smelling contents swirled within as I shook it slightly.

_"Appraisal, flute glass, liquid contents."_

Again, the information flowed into me, confirming the conclusion I came to when I first used the Appraisal skill on Liliana's unconscious form.

Pleap fruit juice. Extract made from the squeezed flesh juices of the pleap fruit native to the eastern border of the Heiligh Kingdom.

Contains a poison similar to cyanide from Earth.

How the skill recognized it was cyanide, it was probably the new branch in my Encyclopedia skill.

"Status, open."

* * *

Name - Yamamoto Eichirou | Age - 18 Years Old

Gender - Male | Level - 2

Class -

Strength - 15 | Vitality - 25

Resistance - 295 | Agility - 20

Magic - 300 | Magic Resistance - 275

Skills:

· Language Comprehension

· Living Encyclopedia of Another World

\- Medical Arts

o Diagnostic

o First Aid

o First Responder

o Poison Master

\- Combat Arts

o Dagger

o Quarterstaff

o Spear

o Sword

o Throwing Knives

· Appraisal

* * *

I didn't level up. But my stats and skills changed. They grew and increased in number. For the skills, the new branch was a shock. I had been trained in first aid and being a first responder, but not enough to be able to keep calm and know what to do during an actual incident. It also explained how I knew about the poison and its symptoms. Then there were the stats. Resistance had jumped drastically. This explained why only I was safe but the Princess wasn't.

I took a sip from the glass until it was half full. Then, I checked the Status Plate once more.

"Yep, this was definitely why I'm fine."

* * *

Strength - 15 | Vitality - 25

Resistance - 310 | Agility - 20

Magic - 300 | Magic Resistance - 275

* * *

The poison didn't even affect me much. In fact, it just made my Resistance surpass my Magic.

"As expected, I still can't comprehend how stats apply to reality."

After I used Appraisal on Liliana, I did the same to myself and found all of my organs to be fine. The poison was nowhere to be found too. Also, despite this poison being slightly more potent than small doses of Earth's garden variety suicide pill, the symptoms and damages to the people here weren't as apparent or effective.

I don't even understand _how_ I knew the lethality levels of suicide pills, but by my guess, it was probably due to the skills. Though, having 'Poison Master' makes it sound like I know because I tinker with it. That really didn't make any sense. Besides that, I realize it must've been the stats that has kept these victims alive and safe for so long.

Pushing away from the wall I leaned on, I cupped the Princess' cheek as she lay on the clean bed. Closing my eyes, I whispered.

_"Appraisal, Liliana Heiligh, pleap fruit poison."_

"Urgh." I grit my teeth as I felt the rush of information nearly overwhelm my head. The location of the poison was suddenly mapped in my head. On that note, it had also mapped Liliana's anatomy that was affected. It felt… like I was trying to remember a biology presentation of the human body, except, there were blanks. Like the arms, lower half of her torso, and her head. The only areas I could remember, or in this case, know about was the upper torso's digestive tract, from her mouth to the stomach area and the smaller intestine along with several thousand capillaries that took nutrients from the digestive tract to spread to the rest of her body.

The intriguing part was that instead of immediately spreading throughout her via the bloodstream, the poison was actually being held back slightly. It was spreading through her body, no doubt, but it was a slower process than what should normally happen. Compared to my initial Appraisal of her, the poison had already jumped from her throat to the intestine, but after a few minutes, it still hadn't enveloped her entire system.

In a sense, something was resisting the poison from spreading.

"The Resistance stats—? No. Not now. Focus!" I stood back up and started pacing around.

I knew how to get rid of the cyanide in her body. I knew how to cure her before any lasting damage occurs. The only problem was the how. Not the 'how I cure her'. That shit was easy thanks to the skills giving me the necessary knowledge to do so.

The problem was 'how do I explain I can'.

Not only would this prove that I could be more useful to them as an Apostle, but it would also forcibly reveal my skills. I can't have that. It's the same as having all my cards out in the open. With my stance against the Church, there was no way they wouldn't use this to their advantage.

Do I really want to risk revealing myself?

_No, I don't._

But do I really want to let her die?

_No, I can't do that either._

Dammit.

Dammit!

DAMMIT!

The Church versus me aside, there was still the other matter I'd been hesitating over. If I save her, I'll still betray her trust in the end. But if I let her die, would that make it any different?

Shit.

Fuck.

"Eichirou…sama?"

I stopped my pacing to rush to the side of her bed. I clasped Liliana's hands as they tried blindly reaching out.

"I'm here, my Lady. How are you feeling?"

Her eyes looked into mine, sleepily but awake.

"I feel a bit lightheaded… and maybe a bit queasy… Is it because I drank too much…? I wonder?"

"Yes, my Lady." I responded, unable to say otherwise. Instead of lying to that face, I decided on a half-truth. "That's just it. You had too much to drink this evening."

She began to cough. Her fit only lasted for a few seconds, but there was some vomit coming out as well. Being so drowsy, Liliana probably didn't even notice as I took my handkerchief to wipe her mouth.

"Heheh," she giggled.

"Is something wrong, my Lady?" I asked, trying to keep a calm face.

"It's… no… nevermind." She tried to turn away blushing, but I cupped her cheek and had her face me. I needed to make sure the symptoms hadn't progressed further.

"What is it, Liliana-sama?" I insisted.

"It's just… This feels like a dream… Eichirou-sama… caring for me… as I sleep… it's like… one of your stories…"

I could only smile back at the peaceful, yet embarrassed look she gave me.

"Then, you better enjoy this dream while it lasts, Liliana-sama."

I kissed the child's forehead as I did when tucking my siblings to sleep. Once she had started to doze off, I slowly got off the bed. It was difficult, trying to release her grip of my hand without waking her up, but I soon managed and arrived at the door.

It was there that I stopped in my tracks.

_I should help her._

No, you don't.

_I should save her._

No. You don't!

_She has done nothing but support me. I should pay her back, even if I put myself at risk—_

NO. YOU. DON'T.

My forehead hit the door hard, but not loud enough to wake the girl. Glancing over to her, Liliana peacefully slept like a babe. Her life slowly being choked to death by the effects of the cyanide-like poison. In a few short hours, it would all be over. She wouldn't wake up, and neither would the rest of the other patients in the nearby hall-turned-emergency-infirmary.

I do want to save her.

_Yes, you do._

But I can't risk leaking information.

_No, you don't._

Then…

_What should I do?_

Tears began to well up in my eyes.

Breathe. Hold. Calm?

.

.

.

No.

Again!

Breathe deep. Hold it. Calm?

.

.

.

No…

I couldn't do it.

I couldn't bring myself to let this girl die. But I also didn't want to give myself a vulnerability by letting them know anything.

Curse my bleeding heart! Had I been stronger than this, I wouldn't see my siblings in that girl. Now it just made it painful to choose.

She wasn't my brother, no matter how curious and cheery she was.

_No, she isn't._

She wasn't my sister, no matter how responsible tried to be for me.

_No, she isn't._

She was just Liliana. A girl too enamored with romance and fantasy stories. A girl too young to be given the responsibility of a princess. She enjoyed music as much as she did working hard in what she wanted to do.

.

.

.

_But you would still choose to save her._

_Of course._

_Then, _

_"Use my gift."_

"Huh?"

I looked behind me. Liliana was still asleep and even if she was awake, she didn't have the voice to let out such deep and soothing words. Wait… Soothing?

"What's this—?"

I put a hand to my head. My world was spinning. But I wasn't dizzy. It was the same strange feeling I had this morning. Of seeing it happen but not being in control. I knew what to do but didn't understand how I knew.

In less than a second, I was calm. Calmer than I had ever been before. All my problems were nonexistent and all I felt was the urge to accomplish what needed to be done.

'But what exactly needed to be done?'

.

.

.

I came up with a blank. I didn't know what to do. I hadn't even made my choice yet!

But my body didn't stop and wait for me.

Opening the door, I saw the two maids making their way here. Without hesitating, I spoke up before they did.

"Helina, call the Royal family. Tell them I have a solution to saving Liliana-sama."

The maid stopped in her tracks, took one look at me, nodded, and turned back the way she came. Turning over to Iselda, I gave her the rest of my instructions. Even she didn't argue back, but instead followed my instructions without pause. As if all was normal.

"Now then, let's get ready for the show."

'Wait! What show?!' I wanted to ask myself as I was unsure who the hell was in control right now!

"Wait and see. I'll make sure to impress you."

.

.

.

To my horror, _I_ was responding to myself.

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!

"If you'd be patient, you'll get to enjoy it better, y'know?"

My body turned to face a mirror and my mental jaw hit the floor the moment _I_ saw my own eyes. They were glowing. Like dim violet stars. It was creepy. Eerily creepy. Disgustingly creepy.

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS BULLSHIT?!

"Don't be so loud," _I _said. "The stage has been set. And right now, _I_ am the star of the show."

I had never smiled before like the reflection did. But the face I thought to be my own had managed a grin that reached both ears. Like a horrible theatre mask.

"Oh, but it is." _I_ replied to my own thoughts. "Just sit back and let _me_ take the lead. _I_ promise, y_ou_ will not be disappointed."

* * *

A triage had been set up in the nearby hall, with tens of doctors and several dozen servants running back and forth assisting with setting up beds or arranging a change of clothes for each victim. Worried families and bystanders were ushered aside to wait in another hall.

The Royal family, minus the princess, were all ushered to the safety of their own quarters and Pope Ishtar was now busy calming the remaining masses. Many were demanding for explanations. The old man just shut them out by claiming they pray for Ehito's deliverance instead of just wailing about.

Personally, Hajime just felt bad that he didn't understand what was going on. Eichirou was gone. He and the rest of the classmates were left to simmer in this separate room. A guard had been posted outside, ordered to keep anyone out in case of an attack.

"This is horrible." Kouki spoke up, frustration contorting his handsome features. "How am I a Hero if I can't even help them. Dammit!"

"Kouki, where are you going?" Noticing that the wayward Hero was approaching the door, Shizuku stood in his way with crossed arms. "You can't just go out there. You don't even know what's wrong with them."

"But…" the Hero grit his teeth. "But… I need to help them, somehow—"

"By getting in their way? Are you a doctor? Do you have medical knowledge?" Shizuku argued back, effectively shutting him down. "You won't be able to do anything except get in the way."

"Then, I'll go talk with Yamamoto!" Kouki remained defiant. "He probably knows what's going on!"

"Even if he does, he's busy checking on Princess Liliana. If you interrupt him and he misses something, will you take responsibility for what happens to the Princess?"

"Guh!" He couldn't argue back. Not when it contradicted his very morals of being right. Hajime knew his flaw was bad but not to this extent. Had the guy even considered he would be in the way? Maybe, but he just didn't see it as wrong if he meant to help. "But—!"

"That's enough, Amanogawa-kun!" Ai-chan-sensei had gotten up and stood next to Shizuku, blocking Kouki from leaving the room.

"Sensei?"

"Don't 'sensei' me. Sit down."

"But—"

"SIT!"

For the first time since entering Tortus, Ai-chan was mad. She had been confused, scared, and bewildered before, but this was the first time she had actually scolded the boy out of anger. For once, the short teacher was in charge.

Once seated, Kouki could only grit his teeth and ball his fists.

"Now that we're all seated. Sensei would like to have you all calm down and think before we act." The short woman commanded respect, despite her being so adorably cute doing so. "Does anyone here feel unwell? Vomiting, dizziness, trouble breathing, or even headaches? Anyone?"

When no one responded, she let out a sigh.

"Thank goodness. We can rule out food poisoning affecting any of you for now."

"Food poisoning?"

Murmurs and panic began to spread. It was a repeat of the ballroom all over again. Hajime slipped a hand into his pocket to grab another Flashbang spell just in case. He needn't worry as it was unnecessary.

"Everyone, shut up!" One of the girls then nodded to the teacher. "Go ahead, sensei."

"Thank you, Sonobe-san." Clearing her throat, Ai-chan resumed. "Yamamoto-kun told me to check if any of you had been affected. Based on the symptoms the aristocrats and their children were showing, Yamamoto-kun suspected food poisoning. Now. Again, does anyone feel off in any way?"

Taking it seriously this time, the classmates became abuzz, checking and double checking, going so far as to have someone check on them as well. After a while, they all came to the same consensus. No one was poisoned. They were clean.

"But how could we have been poisoned? The food tasted fine, and we never really noticed someone putting anything wrong in them."

"Well, if anyone would've noticed the food being poisoned, Nomura would definitely know first, seeing as he ate like a pig."

"Shut up, Tsuji!"

"Make me!"

"Ah, there they go again. Get a room, you two!"

"Suzu, leave the couple be."

""Who're you calling a couple—?! Shut up! No, you shut up! GRRR!""

Ignoring the pair about to either make out or strangle each other, Hajime had to agree that he didn't notice anything off about their meal. If anything, the food might've tasted too good to be spoiled or anything.

'Then, what might've been the real cause?'

KNOCK KNOCK

Everyone tensed. Kouki jumped out of his seat, only to be knocked back down by Shizuku and kept down by her glare.

"Hm? Come on in."

Kousuke, who had been standing by near the door, propped it open to check then welcomed the visitor before anyone could say otherwise.

"Pardon my rudeness, Apostles-sama. I'm currently looking for Nagumo Hajime-sama."

"Iselda-san?" Surprised at the mention of his name, Hajime called out to the maid. "What's wrong?"

"Yamamoto-sama has requested your assistance. He says he needs you to assist in curing the victims starting with Liliana-himesama."

"Huh? Why Nagumo of all people?"

"Shouldn't Yamamoto be calling a doctor or a Priest for healing magic?"

The others started making noises, complaining why it had to be him of all people. But Hajime didn't bother with them, neither did Iselda-san. He simply nodded and stepped out of the room.

"Wait! I'm coming—"

"My apologies, Hero-sama," Iselda stood in Kouki's path. The fragile-looking maid halting the taller boy in his steps. "But Yamamoto-sama requested that I only bring Nagumo-sama back."

"At least tell me why!" The boy demanded. Hajime felt like he heard something in Kouki's voice. Was it frustration? Confusion? Or envy?

"In Yamamoto-sama's words for the Hero-sama," Iselda spoke, reciting from memory an instruction surprisingly specific for Kouki. "Nagumo-sama has 'the skills that most of the other Apostles lack for the procedure' and 'the precision an Earth Mage can't hope to achieve as of their low level'."

Hajime understood what Eichirou needed from him. Kouki and the others did not. Kousuke, Shizuku, and Ai-chan remained neutral. With all that was said and done, Hajime left with Iselda-san taking the lead. The majority of his classmates left behind, confused. But as they were not needed, nor did they have anything to suggest, they all chose to sit quietly and wait in silence.

However, there were those that envied the boy.

But Hajime wouldn't know of it until much later.

* * *

"Your highness. I am relieved to see you unhurt."

Despite being an Apostle himself, the boy bowed with the same reverence and respect he always showed the older man's family. But this time, King Eliheid stood at the doorway of what soon could be his daughter's deathbed.

"Enough of that, Eichirou-sama." The king waved the respect away. He was more concerned for his child's life. "Is it true that you've found a way to save Liliana?"

"Yes, my liege."

Eliheid felt relief swell in his very being. The doctor had been gravely clear with his findings. The victims in the party, including his daughter, were all suffering from an unknown poison. One that even the Head Physician couldn't come up with a countermeasure for. To hear from Liliana's personal maid that the Apostle had an answer, Eliheid truly felt blessed to have the blessing of Ehito bestowed upon his kingdom.

But why hadn't he already done so if he _could_ cure them?

"If it is true that you already have a cure, then why waste time summoning us here?"

"Langbard-sama. Please control your temper. It wouldn't do for the patient to wake. In the first place, I only summoned for Liliana-sama's family as they should be the ones most concerned for her well-being." Eichirou spoke with respect and politeness, but it didn't seem the pope appreciated the gesture. "You didn't have to trouble yourself for this, but I applaud your show of compassion to visit and pray for those in their hour of need."

Pope Ishtar just stood there and nodded as if it was a matter of fact that he, as the pope, would pray for Ehito-sama's children.

Eliheid failed to notice the annoyance in the old man's face at the jab of not being invited.

"What of Liliana's condition? What about my daughter?!" Luluaria, beautiful thing she was, had her make up in a mess. Gone was the composure of the Queen of Heiligh. Right now, she was a mother agonizing over her child. "Please! Please tell me Ehito-sama won't abandon her!"

"Regrettably, I cannot speak for Ehito-sama, my Lady."

"Eh?" the words silenced all. Not even Lundel who was confused and crying his eyes out said anything. "What do you mean?! Don't tell me you can't save my children?!"

"Ara? Is Lundel-sama also affected by the poison? Well this makes it easier for us then." The Apostle seemed genuinely surprised and relieved at the same time, but unconcerned of the fact that the Royal lineage was on the line. Like none of it bothered him at all. "Eliheid-sama. Luluaria-sama. Before I cure your children and your people, I have a request to make of you."

"A request, you say?!" Eliheid asked in surprise. Normally he would be enraged at being asked for a favor when his children could die. But coming from an Apostle, he couldn't possibly ignore it. "What is it that you ask—"

"Ridiculous!"

CLANK

CHINK

Ishtar-sama slammed his rod on the floor, causing the jingling chimes at the head of the stave to clink in unison.

"Ehito-sama wouldn't ask for a favor from his children. Especially when they are in most need of his blessing—"

"As I have said," the boy interrupted the pope without even glancing in the man's direction. He kept his eyes on the King and Queen, ignoring Ishtar entirely. "I do not speak for Ehito. My request comes from Anima."

'Anima? The god of Eichirou-sama's world?' Eliheid began to think of the consequences of such a request. 'Does his wish for me to change loyalties for the god of another world?! That would be heresy! That would mean betraying the Church of Saints!'

All his life had been offered for Ehito-sama's sake. To betray his faith for the life of his people, his children, did Ehito-sama wish to test his faith by offering his children in exchange—?

CLANK

CHINK

"Insolence!" Ishtar-sama practically spat out the word as he clanked down his rod once more and pointed an accusatory finger at the Apostle. "What right does a pagan deity have to demand the children of Ehito for pay—"

_"Confuto."_

"GRK!"

CLANGCHINKCHINK

In a swift stroke, Ishtar had his tongue sealed.

"Haaah… I see Ehito has never properly trained his dog to know when to bark. How disappointing, Langbard-sama." Lowering his raised hand, Eichirou-sama released a sigh. His violet eyes looked down pitifully on the Pope of the Church of Saints as Ishtar-sama struggled to form words. His rod had impacted the ground loud enough to cause Liliana to stir in her sleep. "You nearly woke the patient. Had she been awake, not only would the child feel the pain of the poison coursing through her veins, she'd be disappointed that her Pope couldn't control his temper."

As the holy man scratched his throat and mouth, trying so desperately to find his voice, the glowing eyes of the Apostle had returned to the King. Eliheid swore on Ehito's name, he saw strangely shaped magic circles revolving in their violet center before they vanished back into the violet night of his pupils.

"Now, where were we? Ah, right." Clearing his throat, the boy, no, the young man stood his tallest and addressed the monarchs once more. "Eliheid-sama. Luluaria-sama. About my request."

Eliheid began to sweat buckets as to what such a request would entail. But seeing Ishtar slumped on the floor, the king remained silent as his wife hugged her son close.

"Ah, please do not worry. I don't plan on having you make such a big fuss over saving your children. All my god asks is a simple favor."

The imposing aura Yamamoto Eichirou let out had receded. The young man was calm and friendly once again.

"A favor?"

"Yes. Nothing much except for the credit to be given to Anima just this once."

"…"

"…"

"That's it?"

"Yes, my liege." Eichirou said so like it was a matter of fact. "Anima-sama has been feeling very generous. He has ordered me to grant healing to your people in exchange for a single prayer. One of thanks to her from all that were healed as a token of gratitude."

"We… we need not prostrate ourselves?" Eliheid asked in honest confusion. "Or convert?"

"Convert?" the boy chuckled before smiling kindly. "Heavens, no. Anima is benevolent in that an individual must approach him voluntarily. She does not ask for forced conversions nor does he wish of you to prostrate yourselves. To all, Anima is family. To Anima, all is her children."

Such words seemed pleasing to the ears, but the smile he wore was more endearing.

It reminded Eliheid of how he would tell his daughter stories of angels that came down to do Ehito-sama's will. Of how they were beautiful and pure no matter what duty they had to fulfill. Eichirou-sama's smile was akin to that. Eliheid felt warmth, love, and kindness, in them. More than he ever felt when he prayed to the mural of Ehito.

Eliheid, as a father, made his decision.

"I will accept this request." The man took of his crown and lowered himself to kneel before the Apostle. "As King of the Heiligh Kingdom, I will do all in my power to comply with Ehi—With Anima's will."

Eliheid couldn't see Ishtar's expression from where he kneeled. But from the thumping noise on the floor, he sounded furious. His wife and son, on the other hand, joined his prostration as they paid respects to the Apostle.

"Raise your head, children of Heiligh." The king felt a hand on his shoulder, inviting him to stand. Respectfully, he took it. So did his wife and their son. "Anima has felt your sincerity. She grants you her blessing and his protection."

KNOCK KNOCK

"Ah, he's here." The boy walked to the door, passed by the still-squirming Ishtar and opened it to let another young man in. "Right on time, Hajime."

"I came as soon as… Iselda-san… called… what's happening here?!"

The boy seemed shocked. Eliheid couldn't fault him for it. It wasn't everyday you'd walk in with the Pope on his knees trying to scratch his mouth open as he tried to locate his tongue.

"Don't worry about it. Are you ready to find out if it works?"

"Eh? Uh, yeah." The young man called Hajime pulled out a few bottles from his coat pocket. "I asked Meld-san if I could have some and after Iselda-san explained the situation, he lent me four mid-level ones."

"That will suffice." Eichirou-sama nodded and turned back to the Royal family. "Eliheid-sama, Luluaria-sama, Lundel-sama, this is my friend, a fellow Apostle and Synergist, Nagumo Hajime-sama. He shall be assisting me with delivering Anima's blessing."

"Anima's?" Hajime-sama seemed taken aback by the sudden information but didn't seem to find it strange. "Are you carrying out his will?"

"Indeed, my friend, Hajime. She has given me permission to save the king and queen's children from the deadly cyanide poison found in the pleap fruit juice."

""The juice?!""

Both Eliheid and Hajime exclaimed all at once. But not missing a beat, Eichirou-sama simply pulled out a sheet of paper and began drawing.

"You—you mean to say," Eliheid stuttered. "That our gifts to Apostles-sama… was the-the cause?!"

"That is only partially true, my king." Eichirou-sama finished his work and immediately handed them to Hajime who took them and began studying. "But let's leave the explanations until after I have saved your children and your people."

The calm expression on his face let Eliheid feel at ease. It was as if nothing could cause him worry anymore.

CLANK CHINK

CLANK CHINK

Not even Ishtar's newfound attempt to call their attention. The man had begun smacking the ground with his rod, as if to annoy them or insult Eichirou-sama even further. But not even Eliheid was that stupid to anger the one healing his children, nor did he sympathize with Ishtar's plight.

CLANK CHI—

"You really wish to disrespect Anima, do you? Even after he has granted you such mercy to stay and observe her glory."

—IEEENKDANK

Grabbing the end of the staff, the Apostle bent the metal rod with such ease, he seemed to be doing so with a wooden stick. Ishtar, unequipped, could only stare up in fear as Eichirou lifted the man by his robes, set him down on a nearby chair, and covered half his face with an open palm.

"Rest here until you've learned your lesson, _pupa_. _Dormeo_"

Ishtar's eyes were filled with fear, then enraged, and finally blank as he fell unconscious. As the king stared at the knocked-out pope, Eichirou saw it fit to reassure him.

"Do not worry. He's just asleep. I wouldn't want a servant of Ehito to unintentionally interrupt this ritual to save your children."

The king nodded in acceptance but stared at the still body of his Church's leader. He may have earned the Pope's wrath for this, but he hoped Ehito-sama would forgive them both. To thank another god once for this help should mean little to the one he would devote his entire life to. To begin with, none of this would have ever been possible had Ehito not summoned this Apostle, this child of Anima, to Tortus.

Eliheid prayed in silence while the Apostles worked. Not just to Ehito-sama for forgiveness, but to Anima-sama as well in gratitude.

"Alright. I'm done here. Are you ready, Eichirou?"

The Apostle named Hajime-sama had used his Transmute skill on the floor and ceiling respectively. Eliheid didn't understand what he was doing or why but didn't question it for Eichirou-sama seemed to approve.

"Yeah. Just one last thing." Turning to the queen, he held out his hand. "My Lady, would Lundel-sama please make his way to his sister's side."

"Come on, Lundel."

The boy seemed hesitant, hiding behind his mother's skirt. Eliheid thought to approach the boy to convince him to follow the Apostle-sama's request. He didn't expect Eichirou-sama to beat him to it.

"Lundel-sama," kneeling before the prince, the young man addressed the child with the same respect he did for the king and queen. "Are you afraid?"

Shyly, the boy nodded.

"Of me?"

He shook sideways.

"Then, of Anima?"

He nodded but slowly out of fear of offending. But the Apostle merely smiled with reassurance akin to a mother caressing her child's head during a storm.

"There is nothing to fear, my Prince. Anima is kind to all children. She wishes for them to smile and be happy until the day they grow tired and weary. When that time comes, he lets them rest and sleep until the day they wish to rise from their slumber. Are you afraid of such a benevolent father and doting mother of all things that are blessed by heaven's light?"

Lundel shook his head. Eichirou-sama stretched out his hand. Not to take the boy away from his family, but a gesture as if to join him as the Apostle guides the child to his deity's embrace. Thankfully, the boy took it.

Once he had joined his sister, sitting next to her sleeping form on the bed, Eichirou-sama had backed away slowly to the edge of the circle. Nodding once to Hajime-sama, he began to chant.

_"In Anima per voluntatem peto.  
Fide et per fidem meam do tibi.  
Cudebat per flammas calorem solis,  
Quod maria omnia caelo miscuit tuum fiat voluntas."_

The wind started to blow, swirling around the room with the siblings as the center. This was so despite the window being sealed shut.

_"De quo familia peto a te,  
Monstra te, et gratiam divinitatis.  
Benedicite et ignoscat Deus pro eo quod peccaverunt.  
Egredere aliquando spiritus eorum."_

Suddenly, the ceiling and the floor began to glow. Circles and different shapes of varying sizes started to emerge from the stone surface even though they were clear before. The wind picked up further, able to slightly move the Queen's heavy skirt and toss around the sleeping Pope's robes. The sheets on Liliana's bed, however, wasn't affected.

_"De die in diem hanc, ut se defendat.  
Ne falsum deorum non lasciviendi permittebat, qui in secundis.  
Cum enim vovit, dixi custodire verba ovium.  
Per misericordiae tuae: ut animabus suis."_

The circles started to shrink. Light from their edges connected, encasing the children in a glowing cylindrical prison. Seeing this, Lundel began to cry once more.

"Lundel-sama," Eichirou-sama paused his chant to call out to the boy from beyond the wind. "Trust in me."

The boy gave him a nod through tearing eyes and the Apostle gave him one back with a smile.

"Now, close your eyes. Breathe deep. Lie down. And relax."

The boy followed his steps accordingly. In a few seconds, he lay still, unmoving and seemingly unconscious. Seeing their son so lifeless next to their sleeping daughter, Luluaria began to cry and wail, leaving Eliheid to hold on to her tightly. Eichirou-sama just looked at them kindly before finishing the spell.

_"Divinum Praesidium!"_

The room was enveloped in a brilliant light. King Eliheid had never experienced a divine oracle before. Nor was he present when the Apostles were summoned to the Temple's altar. But as he and his family basked in the warm glow, he wondered if this was what it felt like to behold a god's power.

Should he pass on to the next life, Eliheid S.B. Heiligh would never forget the light that was as warm as a mother's smile and strong as a father's embrace.

* * *

**_Eiyooo Double Upload!_**

**_Or double from where I am as it isn't even past midnight yet. Anyways, to make up for the delayed update, here's another one._**

**_Now before anyone starts ranting, yes. This is the same day as the previous chapter. But it's a week after the summoning! So, progress. Sure, Hajime isn't eating shit from dungeon crawling, but if you wanted that, why did you start reading an OC-centric fanfic in the first place?_**

**_I mean, really bruh/sis? We have a thing called canon. You should check it out._**

**_And to my surprise, I actually got a hater. Uh, hello there, person-who-seems-disappointed-I-write-stuff-even-though-you-picking-this-up-was-totally-optional-for-you. Thank you for the one view per chapter you gave. I appreciate you taking your time to check this out, if you're still there bookmarking this._**

**_Now, to those who have been keeping up, I'm pleased to inform you that we are getting close to where I plan on diverging from canon. I mean, from volume one of the web-novel and light-novel._**

**_Not the anime. That thing sucked waaaay too much in just a single episode, I can't even put it near my Recommendation List before burning it in the trash._**

**_In around three or so chapters, I'll kick off this OC's own adventure separate from what canon gave us. To those who find the pace too slow and want it as fast as the anime that every episode has a flashback, you can go watch that trash. I wanna do this right, no gas it up to eleven._**

**_Side note, if you're annoyed by all the minor OC's, I really needed placeholders. You don't like them, try reading and writing dialogue for (Noble #4), (Nobleman #2), (Confused Lady #0), and (Crying Child #69), over and over and let's see you try to _**not**_ get bored._**

**_That's all from me for today. I'm pooped from doing thesis papers_**

**_Again, _**DO NOT**_ expect a proper scheduled update from me. I write at my own pace. Don't like it? I'll rush it. But then you don't get rights to complain about it being shit. You asked for it._**

**_P.S. To those that can read Latin, I'm really sorry you had to burn your eyes. I know It's shit, but I only have Google. Think you can do better, hit me with a PM and I'll credit you. Just don't expect to get paid. I do this stuff as a free hobby._**

**_P.P.S. 106 Followers and 84 Favs. You guys either have zero standards or are really just bored of all the other better stuff to read on this site. Thanks for the support._**


	7. Chapter 7

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 7: Similar Emergency, Different Mindsets**

* * *

The first thing he felt when he woke was the sudden urge to hurl.

"MMMRRRGGG! KARK UKOH! ARRRGH! KOH!"

But the feeling was empty. Instead, a coughing fit threatened to tear his throat apart. Pain surged through him, causing his body to convulse and shiver in cold sweat.

"The minister's awake. I need a healer here now. One of Apostle-sama's Respite spells—!"

"AAARRRGHHH!"

He didn't register who spoke. Only that it was an adult female's voice. One of the maids, perhaps. He also noticed that he wasn't sleeping in his room guest room within the palace, nor was he the only one crying out pain.

"UURRRGGGHH! HUKOH!"

His coughing persisted. The feeling of throwing up was completely gone. Instead, he now shuddered, the feeling of fluids escaping his nose as well as the corner of his eyes sent his body into a frenzied panic. For the first time in his long life, Minister Rhett Decorose felt like he was drowning in his bed.

"Minister, please hang in there! Healers, I need one now—!"

"Please, let me handle this one!"

Another voice made their presence known. But compared to the urgent one from before, this one was younger, calmer.

"Eh? Ah, all yours, Shirasaki-sama."

"Just a 'Respite', correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. Apostle-sama said that was all needed for when they woke up."

"Got it. Please, help me by holding him down."

Apostle? Was he going to be assisted by the Apostles? That news alone brought reprieve to his mind. However, his body continued to convulse, claiming otherwise. He felt a pair of hands as they assisted in keeping him in the bed.

_"Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"_

The convulsing stopped. The pain caused by the coughing fit dissipated. The fluids still flowed out of his body, but he didn't feel uncomfortable in any way. In fact, heh felt fine as he relaxed back into the sheets.

"I'll handle this. Please go and grab more towels for the other patients."

"Understood!"

As the maid left the bedside, the young girl, no, the angel that was left smiled reassuringly.

"Rest easy here for the time being. You'll be alright soon."

"What… wha… happen?" he mumbled, trying to compose his thoughts. "I-I was… Apostles-sama's… welcome party…?"

"You and many others collapsed during the party after being poisoned." The minister's eyes shot wide open, but he felt a heavy feeling fight down any anxiety he had left. "Don't worry. You've all been treated already."

Tears that ran like streams escaped the man or was it just his imagination that he didn't seem to run out. His mouth felt numb, but it didn't bother him as much either. Instead, for having saved his life, the man tried to thank the angel.

"Tha-Thank… you… for your mercy… Apostle-sama…"

"I'm not the one you should be thanking." The angel's smile, radiant as it was, faded ever so slightly at his response. Instead, she gestured over to the ones across his bed. "The one's you owe your life to are those two."

"Those… two?" looking over, two familiar faces could be seen.

Seeing the first one, he felt chills run through his spine. Dark visions of fire and devastation, of horrid decay and mass genocide, appearing momentarily before vanishing once again. A fleeting nightmare that scared his very being.

The warm and relaxing feeling came over him once more, allowing him to gather his thoughts. He saw the second one. It was someone he mocked. Someone he belittled. An Apostle he didn't bother giving a chance before dismissing any chance of being useful.

What he saw the 'useless' Apostle do was enough to rock his core.

_"Transmute. Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"_

The floor beneath the bed opposite the minister suddenly glowed. The patient in it stopped convulsing just as he did. Soon, the young boy on the bed was just crying, bawling his eyes out.

"Shhh, it's alright. Everything is alright now." The young man who he had dismissed out of impracticality and foolish heroism was now calming the child with soothing words. "You're safe now. What's your name?"

"M-Ma—" the boy wiped his face before answering. "Marcus-s."

"Iselda-san."

"I'm off, Yamamoto-sama."

"Remember to keep them calm while you explain. Amelia-san, please help assist."

"Yes, sir!"

The other young man, the one that caused the minister's blood to start pumping fast only to be soothed once again by an unknown force, spoke to a maid nearby who nodded and left immediately alongside her colleague. Left alone with the child and the Synergist Apostle, he turned and placed a hand on the crying boy's head.

But unlike the face he had given the minister before, the eyes filled with despair powerful enough to chill the old man's bones, the expression he wore now, as he handed the child a towel to wipe his face with, was one of compassion and mercy.

"Marcus, eh. That's a fine name you have. Don't worry about anything, kid! Just keep wiping the tears and let your spit flow."

"Am I-am I dying?" he sniffled once more, about to bawl again. "Mis—Mister?"

The eyes he gave were not mocking, not infuriated. Not even annoyed or indifferent. Instead, he looked to the young lad as a parent would their child.

"Oniichan won't let that happen, Marcus. I swear it." He used the towel to wipe the boy's newly wet nose. "On my word, as a follower of Anima, I promise I won't let you or any child die. Not today."

"Anima? Is that… god?" the child asked, curious and calmer than before. "Is Oniichan… a saint?"

"Just rest here. Keep wiping that face, okay?" The young man dodged the question, smiling once more and handing the boy the towel which he used to wipe his face. "Your parents will be worried sick if you look like that. Ara."

""Marcus!""

"They're here."

Two adults, the man resembling the boy, started running to the child's bed.

"Mama?!"

"MARCUS, MY CHILD!"

"Mama? Papa?! UUWAAAAAH"

Relieved at the sight of his family, the child began to bawl once more.

Looking again, Minister Decorose noticed the tears streaming down weren't tears. They were a different color of brownish sap.

Touching his own face, the hand slowly revealed that he was suffering the same symptoms.

"What… is this…?" he asked, unable to speak clearly as some of the brown fluids escaped his mouth as well. "What's happening… to me?"

"Your body is expelling the poison right now."

Hearing the whisper to his other side, the other boy, the one he belittled, had approached the minister after surrendering his seat to the worried parents.

"Here, use this." A fresh, clean towel in hand, he held it out to the older man. "As soon as it starts escaping your system, wipe it with this. Don't worry, the poison's been neutralized. It won't hurt you until the spell wears off."

Hesitant, Decorose took a few more seconds before taking the towel and wiping his face. Now that his periphery had been cleaned slightly, he could see the rest of his surroundings.

The hall they were in was different from the one where the party was held. Most likely the adjacent one used to expand the ballroom during larger events. Balcony windows had been thrown wide open. Sunlight and a fresh breeze flowed into the hall.

Half the place was populated by beds, each with least one person sleeping, sap escaping their eyelids, and a maid tending to them. There were those like the one opposite him where family tended to the patients instead of the maids. A few were still convulsing in their sleep, but doctors and healers prioritized them as needed.

The boy before him, however, was clearly exhausted. Sunken eyes and swaying as he stood, the lad was struggling to remain still but wore a determined look on his face.

"How…long had I been…?"

"Several hours." Nagumo Hajime, he remembered the boy's name, replied. "We finished your treatments around five hours ago. Now, it's just clean-up and double-checking for any residual poisoning."

"Will they need stronger healing magic, Nagumo-kun?" The angel Apostle on the opposite side of the bed asked worriedly. "I'm not really confident in my advanced healing spells yet so I don't know if I would be of much help."

"No. There's no need to worry about that, Shirasaki-san."

Dropping a sap-coated towel into a bucket at the side of the bed, Hajime took out a fresh one from a bag he carried and handed it to a nearby maid busy assisting another patient.

"In the first place, had Eichirou-kun not used his own magic to neutralize the poison, healing wouldn't have helped much at all."

"Eh? Why is that?"

"The poison they consumed is like a cyanide compound from our world. The cells stop absorbing oxygen and all the infected ones start dying quickly. The human body can actually repel the poison in small doses, but when it's too much, not even healing magic can help neutralize it fast enough. It's especially so for the kids. They have smaller bodies and their bodily system may not be able to handle it. It could kill fast in just a few hours at the fastest. Or so Eichirou-kun told me."

"It's-it's that bad?!"

The minister didn't understand what 'cyanide compound', 'cells', or 'oxygen' were. But with more than half of the patients being children, he did understand that they would have all died. Had these people not acted fast enough.

"Right now, the one doing all the work to keep you all alive is your own bodies." Pushing a fresh towel to the minister's hands, Hajime took the dirty one away. "Just lie down and rest. Eichirou-kun will come by as soon as he's done with the more critical patients. Good work to you as well, Shirasaki-san. You can rest and leave the everything to the doctors for now."

With a nod to the girl, the boy turned to leave. In his arms, he struggled to carry a bucket filled with sappy towels and a bag with clean ones. But he didn't stop moving, collecting even more and further heavying the load he already strained himself with.

"Quite an admirable person, no?" The angel sighed.

"Apostle… sama?"

"Both he and Yamamoto-kun were the ones to act when you all started falling ill."

"Despite being a non-combat class and weaker than the rest of us you call Apostles, Nagumo-kun has been following Yamamoto-kun's instructions and working the hardest to help save all of you." The angel's smile faded, replaced by a mixed expression of frustration and relief. "Even though I'm one of the Heroes and a Priest, I could do nothing but panic as soon as Liliana-sama collapsed."

Minister Decorose could do naught but watch the Apostle ball her fists before recomposing herself. The angelic smile had returned, but the older man's experience told him the expression was a façade to hide the self-vexation.

"I should go and see if anyone else needs more help. Please, excuse me, minister."

The Apostle, disregarding her own position over him, a mere minister, bowed low before taking her leave. Another maid soon came to trade his sappy towel for a fresh one. Bu by then, the fluids had already stopped escaping the minister's system.

As he waited, he watched the others around him. Slowly but surely, many of those in pain began to lessen. A few concerned families had begun to trickle in, finding their relatives peacefully waiting. Compared to the fainted and choking visages they held before, the dirty sap-soaked smiles were more of a relief.

Learning they had been poisoned, the minister's mind began to work as it was used to. Who did it? How and where did they distribute it? Why? As a man who worked for the Heiligh Kingdom, he couldn't let such an occurrence just slip by. Intentional attacks of poisoning on the noble families could very well cripple the nation. Had it got to the king, and just by how composed everyone was, it didn't, then the kingdom might very well be vulnerable to direct attacks in the aftermath. To let such an incident occur under his watch, the damages they suffered here were like a slap to his face.

The minister pondered and stressed. But he never got far in his contemplation. The invisible force that had calmed him down was preventing him from doing so. He couldn't even be frustrated about it. The old man just felt drowsy.

"I'm relieved to see the poison's already been expelled from your person, Minister Decorose. You should be free to leave after we run checks later."

The terrifying young man took the angel Apostle's seat. A neutral but tired expression studied his own aged face. Rhett observed the teen-ager before him. Black hair, violet eyes behind his glasses, and a name that was akin to the rest of the Apostles. How could he have missed it before? Such irresponsible behavior to someone so revered.

"Yamamoto-sama had been… an Apostle all along." Yamamoto ignored him until Rhett struggled to sit back up to apologize. "I've shown a disrespectful side to you!"

"Don't move and lie back down!"

The boy ordered but the old minister refused until he was forcibly pushed back down on the bed. Decorose felt his body was weaker than normal. He was old, yes. But it felt even more tired than it ever had in years. Probably due to the poison.

"None of that right now. Focus on recovering. Unless you want to waste my efforts saving you."

The words were like a threat looming over his neck. He would gladly receive the punishment if he knew it would appease the Apostle's supposed anger. After what he did, after all the disrespect he'd shown the boy last night, he didn't deserve to be saved.

"If it bothers you, then just learn from your mistake." Yamamoto-sama spoke from the side as he pulled out paper slips, each with different magic circles from his coat pocket. "We have a saying in my world. 'Don't judge books by their covers'. You made that mistake twice."

He held one of the slips forward, chanted what the old man recognized as a search spell, and discarded the ashes of the completed magic slip before looking into his eyes.

"First was deeming a Synergist worthless for the frontlines in a war. The second was assuming my opinion amounted to nothing compared to your vast experiences. More so when you have no proof or evidence that what I say is wrong."

His tone still carried indifference. Enough to berate but not insult.

"Had this been more dire circumstances, being poisoned before an enemy siege for example, we wouldn't be able to save anyone because those in power failed to see any potential value in what we had to offer."

Decorose felt ashamed of his negligence. He might not have known a Synergist was capable of using healing magic. But to have written off the boy's will to help? He could have theoretically crippled the country. What he ignored as childish selfishness and lofty ideals had hidden a noble soul that only wished to help in his own unique way.

Had the boy earlier been dissuaded by the minister's words, he may have chosen to not help heal them at all.

This Apostle had every right to be mad at a mistake like this, especially from the Minister of Defense who should be responsible for defending the nation from its enemies. Having been so conceited, he believed he wasn't wrong in his judgement. Ignorance had nearly cost him the good relations between the kingdom and two of the Apostles that the kingdom itself _needed_ for protection.

"I am truly sorry… for my behavior last night."

"Worry not. Such mistakes happen often. And though they vary in impact, they are just that. Mistakes." Yamamoto-sama spoke with reassurance while tucking away the rest of the slips save for one. His indifference from before was gone, slowly replaced by a comforting smile, albeit a tired one. "In my world, Anima teaches us to generously forgive but not forget."

"Who… is Anima, your grace?"

"Anima is being that wishes for her children to all get along. Young and old, talented or not, sickly and healthy. No matter who they are, Anima accepts them all as his children. And when she stands before his family's enemies, none survive her wrath save for the remorseful and reluctant. An entity so benevolent, so compassionate, he warns those she deems worth saving." The smile vanished. The Apostle's eyes seemed to glow with a cosmic light, akin to what he was faced before. "The visions you had last night. Those are the consequences of mistakes similar to yours."

Something held itself in the minister's throat. He began to sweat buckets at the thought of a deity deeming him worthy enough to warn. Not only was it an honor, but the necessity of such visions implied something far worse.

"On my belief to Ehito-sama, I promise to learn from my mistakes! Yamamoto-sama, I apologize for ignoring your benevolent advice. As a servant of Ehito-sama, I—"

"You misunderstand who you should be directing your apologies and gratitude to."

The air chilled for but a second.

"You people may call us Apostles of Ehito, but I bow to no such god." His expression changed from indifference to solemnity. "Your deity may have summoned me here to assist your world, however, I act in the name of Anima, not Ehito. It is by Anima's teachings that I forgive any child that makes mistakes and it is by Anima's will that you and all these people are saved. Remember that, Minister Decorose."

The boy stood up and gave the man one last inspection. Nodding to himself, he raised the last slip of paper above the minister's prone body.

_"Libero."_

A pause, but the paper didn't burn as all disposable spell circles should. Instead, Yamamoto's eyes shone with a small light like a dim star as the minister felt his aged body warm up.

Looking at his hands, he noticed that they felt light and free. Sitting up, he noticed his back didn't ache in pain anymore. Like all the stress and burden he'd been carrying had all just vanished. Despite feeling the wrinkles and short beard he still had, in a strange sense, he felt young again. The calming sense had dissipated, but the minister didn't feel shock so much as he did reprieve.

Like he had been liberated from an invisible yoke.

"I'll have one of the physicians give you a final check before letting you go later. Rest and reflect, child of Ehito."

The young man, no. Minister Decorose shook his head. He already made that mistake before, he refused to do so again.

The Apostle of Anima took his leave.

From the minister's bedside, he moved to tend to another patient, a struggling young lady. Watching from the coziness of his bed, Rhett observed as the Apostle arrived, comforted the patient and immediately got to work healing her. Like he had done for the child earlier, he relieved her of pain and panic. Calming the child with a warm expression and kind words.

He then moved to young teenaged boy accompanied by his father. The man, the minister recognized, was Earl Ulric, one of the noble lords that had been having monster trouble recently. The young boy was already healed and was simply being assisted by a maid to clean the fluids off his face. The Apostle exchanged a few words with the Earl and performed the same spell he did with the minister.

The paper slip didn't glow or burn for it again.

The boy, similar to the old man, stared in awe and wonder at the release he must've been feeling. After being thanked incessantly by the parent and child, Yamamoto-sama left to find another patient in need.

This continued on for some time. Never pausing. Never frowning. Not even his exhaustion fazed him. Composed all throughout with the compassion of a saint and the unyielding vigor of an angel, the man that worshipped another god worked tirelessly to save them all.

Such dedication was awe-inspiring for the old Rhett. In all his career, Decorose had seen people diligently work to assist others, be they physicians or mages. But none had the same charisma and air as Yamamoto Eichirou-sama. His arrival to a scene calmed all. His words gave them motivation and direction.

His magic, the minister noticed, didn't use a circle at all. He was merely using the slip of paper as a ruse that it did. It was as if a demonfolk was hiding in human form.

But it didn't seem that way as the Apostle was _healing_ the humans.

Minister Decorose checked his own body again. He'd dabbled with magic before. He studied it long ago to see its important uses for the Kingdom's defense. From the assumption that Yamamoto-sama was a demon, he expected traces of magic to be left in his body. Something to act as poison in the future.

But there was nothing to worry about. He felt only relief. Calm. Enough to let him not worry too much, but not to lower his guard. If a demon's aim was to eradicate the humans, Decorose doubted this spell would be very detrimental. In fact, if used in battle, it could actually keep the minds of soldiers composed in the heat of a fight. Far from what a demon needed.

If the Apostle of another god was able to use magic without the need of a circle, he may have been showing the circle so as not to cause panic with his patients.

Coming to this understanding, Rhett Decorose remained silent. If any nobleman, physician, or maid noticed as well, they kept their silence. The Apostle of Anima worked in peace, saving them all from a poison neither Ehito's mages nor doctors could heal.

The minister, waiting for the one to permit his leave, stewed in his thoughts.

To be disrespectful to such a respectable man was a disgrace as a minister of the kingdom. He'd been trained to honor and revere the ones that serve Ehito-sama and that punishment would be dealt those that fail to do so.

To forgive such an ill-mannered one such as himself, the god called Anima was truly benevolent. If the Pope and not Yamamoto-sama had given the advice he ignored, he would have been seriously reprimanded by the Church for his arrogant display. Maybe even excommunicated.

And yet, a god not his own was willing to forgive his rudeness.

Minister Decorose laid down and stared at the ceiling. When the doctor assigned for his final check would arrive and let him go, the first thing he would do was head back to his room and sit back on his favorite chair, drinking tea. Taking the Apostle's words to heart this time, the practical man would use his rest period to reflect even further.

The god called Anima had given him visions of death and destruction. A scene unfamiliar to a mere official such as he that it was practically worthless other than to instill fear into his heart. It may have given a soldier strategic meaning, but to a simple official that only ever fought a war behind a desk using his pen and documents, it was just a nightmarish scene to behold.

But looking back, there must've been a purpose to the visions.

'An entity so benevolent, so compassionate, he warns those she deems worth saving.'

The statement caused the old man's heart to jump with delight. So much so that he nearly forgot he should be resting. But it also dropped just as heavily when he thought about the implications.

To be deemed worthy by a god, he must have been deemed important in some way. Worthy, maybe, but why him of all people?

Ehito had never seen it fit to bestow just anyone with visions or prophecies other than the members of the Church. It was a fact that any who received revelations must be part of the Church of Saints, else their prophecies be blasphemous lies. But Ehito didn't give the Church or _any_ of his followers a sign.

The god Anima was not his own and still chose to warn _him_, despite not being a worshipper.

'The visions you had last night. Those are the consequences of mistakes similar to yours.'

''Similar to'? Did that mean such devastation would occur because someone chose to ignore those that did not have any value or worth at first sight?' He contemplated. 'Because of ignorance, an omen that warned of countless deaths will come true?'

This implication rocked the man in his seat, sending sweat down his wrinkled brow. But it also renewed his resolve to help his kingdom. His home.

Minister Rhett Decorose had been known to be a practical man. Anything that had value would be assigned to where it was worth putting. He had done so by giving specific jobs and opportunities to the talented and skilled, allocating the resources where they were most needed be they men or materials. Anything else would be tossed aside for the sake of the status quo.

But that was before he was poisoned.

Sat behind his desk, a younger man took the place of the old minister. He began toiling harder than ever, searching for alternatives of applying what he already had and looking for those that offered what he didn't but may need. Becoming an open minded individual required practice, more so when he needed to retain his practicality and efficiency. But it was all for the sake of the country he loved after all.

Looking to a pitcher of water on his desk, he considered asking a maid to deliver some more of the juice that was served last night. The sweet drink would probably help keep him awake as he worked.

'No,' he shook his head. 'No rewards until I've righted all my wrongs for today.'

He would one day look back on this as the day he became a new man. All the while, he would remember the steadfast visage of the saint that admonished him, the teachings of a god from another world, as well as the boy that saved his life even after he was deemed worthless.

* * *

"Wow! That's amazing!"

She awoke to the familiar voice of her brother. Prince and heir as he were, Lundel wasn't exactly a quiet child. Then again, he was only ten. Liliana really didn't have much patience for her younger sibling. If only she had a little sister. Ah, how adorable it would be to have one!

"And? And? What did the hero do?"

Wait, a minute, what was Lundel even doing in her bedroom anyway? He never bothered her since he was always off trying to impress Apostle Shirasaki Kaori-sama. What was he up to?

"The young hero cast the only spell he knew, crafting copy after copy of the black and white swords."

Liliana's eyes shot open. She recognized that voice. She knew it very well. She'd heard it more than she did Lundel's the past week and there was no way she would dream of forgetting it now!

"Eh? Only copies?"

"It wasn't perfect by any means. Compared to the one's made by the archer in red, his were like glass, shattering as soon as they hit flesh. But the hero didn't let up."

This tone was the same _he_ used when she wanted to hear _his _stories. The envy she never knew was there burned within her chest as she realized Lundel had beaten her to the punch to hearing one today. Then she blushed furiously at the sudden realization of the implication of her feelings.

"One after another, for every blade that broke, two would take its place. Like a storm, he rushed down the possessed priest. Any of the demonic sludge that got in his way was torn asunder. Soon, he reached his foe."

"What did he do next?"

"The hero stabbed him with the jeweled sword his companion gave him. The very same sword the priest had used to murder his companion's father. At first, it didn't go through, but after giving the pommel a punch, the fragile blade destroyed the immortal priest and the demon within. It was his ironic end."

As Eichirou-sama finished the story, her little brother cheered and applauded all by himself. Soon, she felt the bed rock and Lundel's footsteps as he tried to emulate what Liliana could only guess as the fictional hero's footwork.

"Think I could be like that hero someday?"

"Not 'like him', no. But I guarantee you can be a greater hero than he was. After all, the young hero only had two weeks to become one. Lundel-sama has all the time in the world. Maybe then, you can win the heart of the 'fair maiden' you so desire."

"You really think so?"

"Hahah, I hope so, Lundel-sama."

'Really now, such a child.'

She remarked as Eichirou-sama complimented the boy just to entertain the pretend-fighting. She didn't really approve of leading him on to believe such drivel that he could win hearts by just being brave. But he was just a child, so she didn't think it wrong to let him dream. For now, at least.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Oh, we have a visitor?"

Liliana felt the bed rock again. This time, she knew it was Eichirou-sama. Steady, composed steps made their way to the door. As he answered it, she couldn't hear the exchange, but she could still recognize his sweet, sweet voice…

.

.

.

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! STOP! STOP! STOPU! YOU JUST WOKE UP! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF SO EARLY IN THE MORNING?! HOW SHAMELESS!'

"Lundel-sama, it seems her Highness the Queen wishes to see you in her chambers."

'"Mother does?"'

Thinking it aloud as her brother said it and ran to the door, Liliana wondered why her mother opted to summon her child instead of visiting instead. Then again, why was Lundel here in the first place? All the questions kept piling up, and she had no way of finding out anything since she was still pretending to be asleep just so she could listen more to his voice…

.

.

.

'AWAWAWAWAWAWWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! STOP IT ALREADY! STUPIDLILIANA!'

"My Lady, if I may be frank, you don't make for a good actor." The shouting in her head was silenced as she felt the bed sink slightly to her side, where the voice was coming from. "You may be able to fool Lundel-sama, but I've had years of experience from noticing my own siblings fake sleep."

'Ah? Was I caught?' Liliana's eyes opened slightly to see Eichirou-sama's teasing smile.

"Good morning, Liliana-sama."

The way he was looking down on her as she lay on the bed—, the princess side of her head shoved that obscene thought in the recesses of her mind. She didn't need it now, when she didn't know why he was here in the first place. But, maybe later— 'AHHHHH! ENOUGH ALREADY! Focus, you dumb child!'

"Good morn', Eichirou-sama." She mumbled, suddenly finding her tongue not working as it should. "Why… to what do I owe the pleasure of such an early visit to a lady's bedroom?"

She opted for the 'demanding but formal' tone. He was a man. She was a woman. They were not married. Such a visit was considered immoral without proper justifications, and thus, as a member of the Royal family, she should hold herself accordingly and demand an explanation.

"My apologies, my Lady. I was concerned for your health so I couldn't wait to see you again until later." The sincere smile the Apostle held was enough to derail her composure even further. "I apologize for my rudeness and ask for your forgiveness on this matter."

"Co—co-co-co-concerned for me, you say?" she started, sputtered and started again. "Then, I guess I have no cho-choice but to forgive you. But I don't understand why yo-you must be so worried."

She caved way too early. But she couldn't fight against the friendly gesture. Specifically, _his_ concern. She managed to press the question though, despite looking away the entire tome red-faced.

"About that, my Lady, my concern was due to your being poisoned during last night's party."

"Eh? Poisoned—?"

"I had treated you as needed, but unlike the other victims, you didn't wake up shortly after."

"Victims—?! There are- What is—?! Ugh!"

As she struggled to sit up, she felt her strength leave her. Liliana felt surprisingly weak. She almost fell back if not for his strong, warm hands assisting her up to sit and lean on his shoulder.

"Lady Liliana, please don't push yourself too much! You've only just re—!"

"How could you tell me to not push myself when there are people who are suffering the same fate as I?!"

Liliana hadn't meant to yell at Eichirou-sama. She wasn't mad at him. Not at all. But the frustration she felt deep in her chest at the news was enough to shatter her composure. Her strong sense of responsibility, despite her young age, overshadowed her own well-being. To find that her people were suffering while she lay here in bed, relaxing and enjoying herself, it was disappointing and she hated herself for it.

'What have I been doing, sleeping the day away?! How disgraceful as a Princess of Heiligh!'

But her anger was not to last.

_"Respite."_

With a small glow of the slip of paper held before her face, Eichirou-sama's short spell suddenly washed away the storm that muddled her thoughts. She felt so calm and yet so weak that she grasped onto his chest for support.

"I-I must…!"

"Liliana-sama, please settle down." He said kindly, berating her but in a soft way. "You're in no condition to be moving around."

"But… the people—…!"

"Are all fine." He laid her down on the bed as gently as he could. "They're all fine, Liliana. You have nothing to worry your mind over."

Strangely, she felt she could trust his words. She didn't struggle anymore as she just lay there, wondering just what had happened.

After explaining a bit about the incident and her collapse, Liliana finally let the subject go. Not that she could worry about it with Eichirou-sama's magic at work. Instead of resisting further, she just sighed and collected herself.

"Thank you…" she whispered. "As Princess of Heiligh, I thank you on behalf of my people, Apostle Eichirou-sama."

"Liliana-sama," he suddenly replied. His expression somewhat lonesome but regretful as well. "Such gratitude is undeserved."

"Eh?"

"I didn't save those people because I'm an Apostle."

There was something else his tone hid. With how much his face was struggling to stay calm, she could see it was a topic he might've been struggling with for quite a while. Something Liliana felt he was pained to say.

"The only reason I saved them was because they were your people." He paused before continuing. "Knowing you would be sad if any of them got hurt during a party you hosted for our sakes, it pained me to let that happen."

There was more to that than he was letting her know. Due to her lessons, she knew the art of reading between the lines. Whatever his reasons, they may have been offensive to her, or something he didn't wish to bother her with. Again. However, she couldn't care less about deception from someone she had come to trust so much in such a short time.

"My reasons were selfish. So please, don't thank me as an Apostle—"

"Please raise your head, Eichirou-sama."

"Liliana—?!"

He was silenced by her palm touching his cheek. The warmth he exuded despite the cool morning air was welcoming. Like Liliana had been alone for so long and only now found another soul to accompany her own.

"It may have been selfish, but you still saved my people. No matter how you yourself see your actions, I will not let it slide that you did something great for my sake and the sake of others. I thank you. If you cannot accept the thanks from a Princess to an Apostle, then could you at least accept it from Liliana to Eichirou-sama? For my sake?"

She said as much while lifting his face awkwardly with her own hands. Being prone, she was actually looking up to him so her actions more pulled him close than lifted his face up. The fact that he leaned forward for her sake was lost to her though. Maybe it was the spell, but she didn't care.

"Do you regret saving me or my people?"

"NO—!" he started, realizing he had raised his voice, then repeated quietly. "No, my Lady. I would never."

He was conflicted.

She wanted to comfort him.

He was alone.

She was alone with him.

Staring deep into his eyes, the place his stories had mentioned as the windows to one's soul. In it, she saw someone in need. Someone isolated, wallowing in their solace. She wished to make sure he didn't have to be.

"Let's try this again. Thank you, Eichirou-sama." She waited and waited until she could wait no more. "Your response?"

"Your welcome… Liliana."

Unable to win against her persistent willpower, he conceded to her gratitude. His frown faded to a smile and his eyes shone once again. She smiled as well. He leaned forward in surrender, touching her forehead with his.

She felt relief flow though her from contact. Be it from his warmth or the spell, she really didn't care. She just felt she was. And judging by his smiling response, he was too. Even if the smile was still a little sad.

KNOCK KNOCK CREAK

Without warning, the door suddenly opened and Helina-san, the devoted maid she was, had barged in unannounced.

"Yamamoto-sama, the King wishes to see you with the Prime Minis—Ara…"

Normally, the maid would knock, present herself, then come in once invited. But as Liliana thought the pleasantries were a waste of precious time, she had ordered the maid to forego it when she was entering the princess' study or bedchambers.

As this room was currently being used by Liliana to rest, the maid had just walked in after a quick knock through force of habit.

.

.

.

"Please, pardon my intrusion."

"Wait a minute—! Woah, my Lady?!"

Eichirou-sama, astonishing both Liliana and her maid, nearly jumped out of the bed to call Helina back before she exited the door. If it weren't for the princess' hands still clasped on his head, he would have reached the maid in no time.

Surprising even herself though, Liliana had tightly kept her grasp onto him so that when he pulled back and got up, she came along and nearly fell off the bed.

"My Lady, are you alright?!"

How would Liliana, in her calm and peaceful self, describe the situation, you wonder?

She was in his arms, that much was clear. He had stood up with her hands grasped onto his face when it happened. As she fell, the grip loosened. But when he caught her, they ended up slipping past his head with her elbows now bent around his neck. He had one arm on her back to carry her and the other held her behind the waist while her legs dangled off the bed and his bent to catch her fall.

Now that she thought about it, his face was mere inches from hers and have been ever since she forced him to accept her gratitude. His eyes, brilliant violet gems that reminded Liliana of stars, were filled with worry and surprise. He was even breathing loudly enough for her to hear and synchronize her own with.

For lack of a better expression, he looked about ready to take her. Or maybe she was trying to take him.

The proximity didn't bother her. Not at all. Had she not been under the calming spell he had cast, Princess Liliana S.B. Heiligh of the Kingdom of Heiligh would very well be a sack of tomatoes in a sleeping gown right about now.

But currently, at this moment, she thought of being just 'Liliana'. A teenage girl who just so happened to be in the arms of this dashing Apostle. This kind and warm young man. In this tranquil instant of her life, she honestly pondered to herself:

'What would happen if I just inch myself just a little bit forward?'

"I shall be waiting outside. Please, don't mind me."

"Wait! Helina-san?! It's a misunderstanding!"

Alas, the moment didn't last. The Apostle had called out after the interrupting maid to no avail. As soon as the door had shut and Liliana was left alone with Eichirou-sama once again. The moment she had unconsciously been longing for was taken away just like that. She just pouted as she hung from his chest.

"Haaah, here we go again." the young man sighed in defeat. Turning to focus on the girl he was carrying, he asked. "Are you unhurt, Liliana-sama? Liliana-sama?"

"I'm fine…" she replied while looking away dejectedly. "Nothing to worry about."

Eichirou-sama returned her to the bed. And after giving his apologies, took a quick leave to see what her personal attendant wanted to talk about. All the while, Liliana scowled at the ceiling. Not because of the young man's denseness, rather her hesitation.

'I was so close too. Just a few more seconds…'

This was not something Liliana would think on her own. Well, she would, but not as composedly as she was doing so now. With the strange sense of relief washing over her being, she deliberated freely, without nitpicking at the indecency or the audacity of the thoughts.

"I apologize, Liliana-sama." He returned with a regretful look on his face. "I've been summoned by your father to meet with the Prime Minister to go over the incident."

Liliana wanted to be annoyed for being deprived of her… no, she wanted to be mad that Eichirou-sama needed to leave. Helina who stood at the doorway could see that as well and bowed regretfully. Liliana felt like she wanted to shout her disapproval or maybe growl in indignation. Not at the maid but the world and fate.

But the calm spell was preventing her from venting her feelings, and she couldn't stop him if her father needed him for something important. That would just be plain selfishness. As a Princess, she couldn't keep acting immature like that. As a princess… she scowled further, unable to even click her tongue.

"If Otou-sama is requesting for you, then please. Don't worry about me, Eichirou-sama." She smiled as best as she could in her artificially calm state. "I'll be here, resting."

"I truly am sorry for not being able to stay longer." His sincerity would usually have been enough for her. Only, she wanted more. At the very least, she unconsciously hoped so. "I'll be sure to visit you sometime later."

She nodded at this and dropped her gaze to the sheets he pulled up for her. Clean as they were, they felt cold. She felt alone in them. Expecting her door to close shut as he left, she nearly jumped when he came back to put a hand on her cheek.

"There's no need to look so down, Liliana-sama. I'll be back later with stories."

"I'd like to hear the one you told Lundel earlier!"

The request came out of nowhere. It even surprised the Apostle sitting over her. But as this may be the last she'd see of him until later, she wanted to be a little selfish and request one.

"My Lady, I've only told Lundel-sama the first third of that story. I'd be happy to tell you all of it and more when I get back."

His caring expression was beaming. It made Liliana think of an older sibling looking after a younger one. That was as close as she could put it. She had never had an older sibling, being the eldest, nor did she have anyone to look up to in that manner. Just a few priests, officials, and servants she could place as surrogate uncles and aunts.

But the feeling she got from the smile was different. It was something that made Liliana's heart skip.

"Until then, rest peacefully like you did last night. Can you promise me that?"

He spoke to her as if she was a child. As she was, she knew she couldn't do anything even if she wanted to. But having been spoiled so much already, she couldn't just ask for more. Sinking into the bed to show her confirmation, she nodded once and pulled the sheets so that they reached up to cover half her face.

"Good girl."

He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead, earning him one surprised tomato princess in bed and one cheering-while-silently-fist-pumping maid in the background.

"Get better soon, Liliana. Sweet dreams."

Eichirou-sama had left. The door had closed. Liliana was now alone. Unlike before though, she didn't feel alone.

She felt something touch her forehead. It took her a while to notice it was her own fingers. It took her another minute to process that she took _that hand_ with _those fingers_ and touched _her own lips_ with them.

In her peaceful tranquility, she couldn't scream in glee. The spell was still in effect. But it didn't stop the girl from hiding beneath the sheets, balling up, and rolling back and forth as she came to a realization of _what_ she was doing and _why_ she was doing it. She also felt it somewhat nostalgic, as if the kiss on the forehead had happened not just recently, but more than once.

Her thoughts searched for the memory. But it came as a blank. The feeling was still there, but it didn't so much as bother her as just throw everything into shambles.

Slowly but surely, Liliana fully realized and accepted her feelings. And when the spell wore off a little later, she was back to her panicking and mortified self. Until then, her calm allowed her to speak one line without her mind bursting into metaphorical flames of shame and embarrassment.

"Ah, so this is what it feels like to be in love…"

* * *

Hatayama Aiko was a worrywart. She knew that her earnest mannerisms when it came to her students was more than necessary for a simple high school teacher, but she couldn't help it. Aiko wasn't the type to leave anyone behind. Despite only having been their teacher for less than a year, she cared for the kids too much already.

It was partially due to her responsibilities as an adult. Being the eldest and most mature of the group to have been transported to Tortus, she held it in herself to keep them safe from all the dangers they could face in this foreign world.

And one of those dangers had already come to pass, unnoticed at the last second.

"Ai-chan-sensei, please wait up!"

"No time, Sonobe-kun! I have to find out what's going on now."

Rushing as fast as her short legs could take her, Aiko marched her way to the audience chamber accompanied by some members of the class. Mostly her fan club and a few of the others who weren't assisting the doctors and servants with the other patients.

"Ah, Ai-chan is so responsible~~~!"

"But, sensei, wouldn't it be alright to take it easy?"

"Yeah! I mean, they said Yamamoto-kun already solved the issue of the poisoning, right?"

Unknown to many, that was exactly the reason _why_ she was rushing. To think that one of her students would actually attempt to heal poisoning without any medical certification and actually succeed was amazing. But that, in and of itself, was the problem. Her student, a child, was doing things that should be left to adults. Adults like her.

And yet, all she did was panic when everyone started to lose it.

"It doesn't matter if it's resolved or not, Aikawa-kun. As a teacher, I need to know what's happening for everyone's sakes."

The student didn't bother objecting. They all came to understand a lot about their little instructor through spending so much time with her, before and after the summoning. One of those things was that once Hatayama Aiko set her mind on something, she would do her all to get it done no matter what anyone says. She was a tough not to crack like that.

"… don't misunderstand me, Helina-san. My relationship with Liliana-sama will not go further than that of friendship."

Hearing a voice coming from ahead of them, Aiko stopped in her tracks. This forced the others behind her to all stop abruptly as well and end up nearly crashing into the diminutive teacher.

"What's up, Ai-chan-sensei?"

"That's weird," the little adult looked ahead then to the adjacent hallway with no one in it. "I thought I heard Yamamoto-kun's voice."

She didn't see him from where they were all gathered, but she was sure he she heard him. This, however, was taken differently by the classmates that did follow her.

"Are? Is Ai-chan hallucinating?"

"Maybe. She hasn't had her beauty sleep since last night after all."

"But to hear Yamamoto-kun of all people…"

"No way? Is it her Love Radar?"

Hatayama ignored the children. Knowing them, anything she had to say would be misconstrued for intimate attachments to her own student. Or maybe a joke of such. It was childish, but they were children. Instead, she kept walking in a rushed pace, trying to see if she could hear where he was coming from.

"So you say. But going so far as to give the child a kiss with an added promise of return, wouldn't you call that 'more intimate than friends', Yamamoto-sama? You could actually call it 'romantic'."

This one was a different voice. A female one. Could it be one of the maids? Was Yamamoto-kun flirting with a maid? The thought worried the teacher. Not for personal reasons, rather she didn't think it appropriate to be off doing such things when there was an emergency to focus on.

"After all that talk of not being worth Liliana-ojousama's attention, you sure do a lot to garner it. From playing her music to telling her stories. If you don't mind this humble one saying, you spoil her too much."

'Eh?' Aiko's thought process halted, genuinely confused now. 'What are they talking about?'

Initially, she thought Yamamoto was flirting with the woman. But with the addition of calling the Princess' name, Aiko couldn't help but have her curiosity piqued.

Turning the bend, she found the two walking ahead together. Her student was still dressed in his suit from last night's party. He probably never had time to change, being so busy and all.

"What's this?"

"Ara, it's Yamamoto-kun."

"What's he doing?"

"Flirting with a maid?"

"When he already has the Princess? Kuh! I'm jealous!"

"Ugh, boys…"

Peeking around the corner with her, the other members of the fan club all had just their heads looming around the bend. Neither the boy nor the maid had noticed them as the teacher followed behind after them.

"I'm mostly doing so to entertain myself more than her. The music and stories remind me of home. Retelling and performing them for Lady Liliana-sama is more so I don't forget."

She noted the tone of his voice. Normally, when he spoke with her, she could feel the emotion and respect his words carried simply by listening. Right now, they were devoid of all that emotion. He just sounded tired, exhausted.

"Yamamoto-kun?"

Knowing this fact, Hatayama Aiko couldn't help but call out to him. When he turned to face her, the tired look in his eyes were more than enough to convince the teacher she was correct.

"Ara, Hatayama-sensei, good morning. I see everyone's doing alright."

Betraying the exhaustion he wore, now he was speaking in an upbeat and friendly way. Aiko didn't think he was trying to hide it on purpose, but the way he smiled now felt somewhat artificial after seeing his tired face.

"Yo, Yamamoto-kun. Flirting with another girl so early in the day? Even though you already have Ai-chan and the Princess?"

"Good morning to you as well, Sugawara-kun. But it's not like that. This is Helina-san, Liliana's personal attendant. She's been ordered to take me to the king right now."

He spoke to the girl calmly and unfazed, as if used to the teasing despite having only traded words with his female classmate a few times. Truth be told, Aiko had honestly thought he was only friends with Nagayama-kun's and Tsuji-kun's groups.

"Good day to you, Apostles-sama. I thank you for assisting us calm everyone down during the incident."

The maid named Helina-san bowed. Looking closely, Aiko recognized her as the one who was following Yamamoto-kun's instructions while he tried to help the Princess.

"Ah, no, it's nothing to thank us for." Aiko bowed in turn. "Amanogawa-kun and the rest were the ones to do most of the work."

The maid nevertheless gave her and the others an appreciative smile.

A sign of respect, something that the young adult knew was more of a formality to most of her students than an actual gesture. From what occurred during the party before the panic, Aiko knew the nobles were either worshipping their titles or downright plotting to gain influence by marrying their children to them.

As a Japanese adult of the modern century, such acts as political engagements weren't foreign to her. Being born in a rural area with a close-knit community, she commonly saw such bonds but at least those were mutual. In the cities, there were more than a handful of kids from her other classes that suffered from loveless political marriages.

'If those children suffered so much, what about the ones who get married for their title as Apostles?'

Such was the thought that pressured Aiko to defend her students from the vultures. Respect and reverence for religious figures were fine, for now. But the way they eyed the innocent kids as status boosters was more than enough for Aiko to feel disgust for this world's aristocracy.

To think there would be a day where she would see something so blatantly corrupt.

"Speaking of which," Yamamoto-kun's voice brought her back to reality. "I don't see Amanogawa-kun and a few others."

"A few of the class stayed behind to help with the victims."

"""UWAH!"""

The sudden answer that came from next to Aiko got everyone jumping from their spot.

"Ayako and Suzu are working with Hajime to calm a few of them down. Kouki went ahead to meet with the pope. Hiyama and his gang weren't around so I'm not sure about them

None had expected the place to be occupied in the first place and not even the teacher knew a student was walking ahead of her. Yamamoto-kun, however, wasn't fazed a bit.

"Kousuke, you should stop doing that to everyone. I know you enjoy being a ninja, but cut them some slack, will you?"

"What makes you think I enjoy it, bastard." Endou-kun scratched the front of his bangs. Compared to yesterday night, his hair was drawn back down, hiding half his face again.

"Nothing. Just a feeling." Contrary to being insulted, the boy just smiled back before turning to the maid. "Helina-san, I'll report to the king and prime minister with everyone else. Could you please head back and keep an eye on Liliana-sama's condition for me?"

"As you wish, Yamamoto-sama." The maid nodded and made to walk back the way they came, but Aiko noticed her give the boy a wink and smirk before she disappeared from view.

"Now, let's not keep the king waiting, shall we?"

Ignoring the maids covert message, Yamamoto-kun walked ahead of the group, leading them to the audience chamber. All the while he exchanged small banter with his close friend, Endou-kun. Aiko was placed in the middle ground, between the two and the rest of the class who followed with.

"Ai-chan's being left out?"

"Aw, I thought there would be something blossoming there~~~."

"Nah, Ai-chan-sensei is everyone's Ai-chan. It doesn't matter if Yamamoto-kun doesn't pick her!"

"Say anymore and sensei will get mad, y'know."

Such was her reply to silence the teasing of the children. She let it off most of the time as it was how some of them coped with the stress. They would usually tease her, but ever since coming here, it got worse to the point that she felt they were only doing it to maintain a sense of normalcy. Like they never left Earth to begin with.

Rather than stop them, Aiko opted to just not let them go too far. She wasn't a guidance counselor. She didn't know how to reassure them. All Aiko could do was her best. Noticing someone's gaze, her eyes met Yamamoto-kun's as he looked over his shoulder.

"Ah, that's right," he said. "I forgot to thank you, Hatayama-sensei."

"Eh, for what?"

"For helping with the victims yesterday. Seeing someone like you work so hard for their sakes, a lot of the patients wanted to thank you for being there for them."

"Eh?" he must've been referring to the time she was ushering the collapsed kids to the makeshift hospital hall. "Ah, no. I didn't do much to get thanked for."

"Don't be like that, sensei. The children I spoke with all wanted me to pass on their thanks to the 'Angel of Hope'. Please accept the fruits of your efforts more."

His smile over his shoulder, despite looking tired, was genuine. It was enough to send a comforting relief flow through the small teacher. She had only been doing what she could for those children at the time. Had it been her students, she would have done her all. It still wasn't something she felt she should be thanked for. It was the duty of an adult to look after the young ones.

And yet, his words were enough to calm her soul.

"Ara, Ai-chan's red."

"Yamamoto-kun, you bastard…"

"Akai Ai-chan… so cute~~~!"

"Uwah, so smooth…"

Such was the response he got from his simple praise. It was enough to grate on the teacher's nerves, but not to damper her relief.

"Then, you're welcome, Yamamoto-kun." She nodded back as they walked. "But to be called an 'Angel' is… kinda embarrassing for sensei."

"My apologies. But they were all so enamored with you and your hopeful attitude that they couldn't help but call you so. I'm merely repeating what they all said."

Unknown to her, Yamamoto kept the true reason why she was called so. The 'hopeful' bit wasn't a lie. The 'angel', though, was more for her childish innocence rather than her womanly charms. Saying that without offending his teacher was on the scale of impossible, so he opted to remain silent.

No sooner than their banter ended, they arrived to the hall. The king and pope were already waiting for them. Stood next to the king, opposite Ishtar, was a middle-aged man in a suit who Aiko recognized as the Prime Minister. Amanogawa, who stood next to the stern Knight Commander and elderly Court Mage while waiting at the foot of the stairs, was waving in their direction.

"Oh, everyone, you're here."

The Hero looked over them with smiling eyes. But when he laid them on Yamamoto, Aiko noticed the boy hesitate before reforming his smile.

"Eichirou-sama," standing up from his spot and surprising everyone, the king made his way to approach the young man in question and envelop him in a hug. "I thank you once again for healing my family."

"Raise your head, Eliheid." Yamamoto stopped him before he could bow low. "The thanks go to Anima, not me. I merely exacted her will."

Aiko didn't know which to be surprised at more. Either the King of Heiligh's friendly demeanor towards the younger boy or the casual priestlike gesture from her student. Probably the latter. She had seen the King and Yamamoto together during their first morning here, but the religiousness coming from a Japanese teenager was something she didn't see every day.

Even from the adults of Japan and her own family and friends in the country, casual religious behavior like this was usually reserved for the most zealous of followers or missionaries from abroad. Not teenagers or children of the modern era.

Still, it didn't look or sound off when Yamamoto himself acted so. Strange as Aiko thought it would be, he seemed to be the natural theist despite being a teenager of the twenty-first century.

"I've seen to your children and trust me when I say they have far too much energy for someone who just survived poisoning." He jested but in a friendly yet polite manner. "They will be fine. But that isn't what you called me for, is it, my friend."

"It's as you say," the king nodded and returned to his seat.

"A good day to you all, Apostle-sama. I am the Prime Minister. You may have recognized from your first day here." He bowed to the class which they returned. "I have summoned you all today concerning the incident last night. Having such an incident occur during your welcoming party, as the representative of the Kingdom of Heiligh, I would like to apologize for letting it happen. It is my utmost regret for allowing it to ruin—"

"No need for your apologies, Minister. You couldn't have known it would've occurred and even if it did, none of your world's current technology or magic could have prevented it from happening. Please, let's leave it at that and talk about more pressing matters."

Yamamoto-kun had his hand up as he interrupted the man. But with a kind smile that said all was forgiven, he continued.

"About the victims. None of them have died and those remaining that are suffering from bodily pains are currently undergoing treatment."

"Ah, I see. Thank you for that." The old man, unbothered by the interruption, merely sighed in relief and nodded his thanks. "May I ask, is the reason why some fellow Apostles are not present is because they stayed behind to assist in the patients' recovery?"

"That's right." Surprisingly, it was Amanogawa-kun's turn to reply. Aiko didn't think he would and nobody expected him to. Everyone had their eyes on Yamamoto, initially. Now even he watched the Hero carefully. "Those of our classmates who are skilled in healing magic, especially Kaori, have been working around the clock to help the doctors and nurses."

"Hoh, that is a relief to hear. Once again, I thank you for the assistance."

Amanogawa-kun looked proud of himself for responding to the minister, but it didn't seem like it was anything really important to mention, in Aiko's opinion anyway.

"Let's not forget. It isn't just the Priests and mages that helped," Yamamoto-kun stole back the spotlight as he gave a tired glance to his classmate before turning to the front. "One of the Apostles, a Synergist, my friend, Hajime, was the one who made the healing of the victims possible following their poisoning."

"Eh?!"

"""Nagumo-kun?"""

""A Synergist, you say?""

Amanogawa was stunned in place. The classmates were abuzz in wonder and confusion The Prime Minister and Court Mage, however, both jumped at the news with shock and awe. The Court Mage especially jumped and ran to Yamamoto-kun, nearly pushing him over if not for Endou-kun catching his back.

"HOW?! How can a mere Synergist be capable of such magic to heal that unknown poison?!"

"Ugh, Senec-sama. Weren't one of your young apprentice mages were affected as well… Ah, I see, it was that child," Yamamoto-kun, remembering a face, simply grasped the man by the shoulder as if to reassure him. "Please calm down. The boy is no longer in danger."

"That doesn't matter! I know he's fine! I've seen him already! That miracle!" The old coot grabbed on with begging eyes as if to demand information. "How could a class so incompatible with magic be capable of such a feat!"

The man, Break Senec, Aiko remembered his name, latched on like a madman. Despite seeming like he didn't care about his student's condition, he already did make sure the boy was okay. Aiko had seen him during the child's treatment herself. Right now, however, he was showing his true colors as a mage. The desire to learn more about magic. To define what he couldn't understand. To know how it all worked.

In a way, Aiko could sympathize with him. She wanted to know as well just how it was possible they saved all those people. One minute, they were all struggling to breathe while vomiting. After treatment, they were all dripping with a brown sap that oozed out of there orifices while feeling fine. The bizarre sight was something to behold.

"Senec-sama, please. I'll get to that explanation in a bit. So please." The boy was relinquished with a promise to explain. Righted by Endou, he looked towards the fore. "Now then, Prime Minister, could I please have someone deliver a sample of the pleap fruit. A fresh one if you would."

A nod and a whisper to one of his aids and the man was off with the task.

"Now, while we wait, I shall explain how the poison spread and affected everyone." Yamamoto stepped forward. "The key was in the juice. To be specific, the pleap fruit's. I believe the Princess said that it was a gift for us as it resembled a produce abundant in our world?"

"Yes, she made it clear it was to be so."

"Well, to vastly oversimplify, that fruit resembled the apple fruit of our home world of Earth."

"Eh? An apple?!" Aiko nearly shouted and cupped her mouth as soon as it escaped her. "You mean—?"

"Correct, Hatayama-sensei." The boy nodded. "Turning the fruit into a juice was what made the drink somewhat lethal despite it being a seemingly harmless sweet drink. It's also the reason why so many of the victims were children. Luckily, being almost so similar to the apple, the poison wasn't immediately lethal."

Aiko realized what that implied. It wasn't handed properly and just made into a drink. Being a daughter of a farmer, she understood how such a small thing caused all those symptoms and threatened so many in such a short span of time but left them all with a large time margin to be saved.

"Yamamoto, what does the apple-look-alike have anything to do with there being so many poison victims?"

Amanogawa-kun, oblivious as he was, prompted a question.

"You're not the studious kind, are you Amanogawa-kun?" Receiving a glare at his question, Yamamoto just shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't really expect anyone but to Hatayama-sensei to understand, so I might as well explain. Like I said, the key was in the juice. But it wasn't that the pleap fruits juice was specifically poisonous."

"Stop beating around the bush already!"

"Amanogawa-kun, could you please let him finish?" Aiko stepped up to defend her student. "Yamamoto-kun hasn't gotten a wink of sleep yet because of him healing the patients. Let him reply at his own pace."

Unlike the rest of the class, he and Nagumo had been up all night tending to the patients. It was clear to the teacher when she couldn't sleep properly and saw them still at work during her early morning stroll. Appalled as she was, she was still unable to help due to being inadequate with healing magic.

"Eh?" The Hero, as if receiving the news for the first time, looked ashamed. "Ah. My apologies, Yamamoto."

"Haaah," Yamamoto eyed the Hero lazily, too tired to even shout back. But he just sighed. "I never expected you to notice anyway, so please, keep shouting before I do get to the point."

Looking humiliated, Kouki took a step back and allowed Yamamoto to go on.

"Now, where was I? Oh, right." The boy straightened up with a deep breath and resumed. "The fruit and drink itself wasn't inherently toxic. But a certain part of the fruit is—Oh, it's here."

Arriving on cue, the Prime Minister's aide arrived and presented a fruit to the Apostle. Fiddling it in his hands and even checking if it was clean, he took out a sheet of paper from his pocket and uttered a simple chant. Before settling the apple-look-alike on his palm, atop the slip.

_"Divide, as I command thee, Split."_

SLINK SNAP

The pleap fruit was sliced clean in half from atop her student's palm.

CRUNCH

"O-oy! Yamamoto?"

"Ah, my bad. I haven't eaten breakfast yet either, my apologies." True to his words, the boy was devouring one of the halved of the supposedly poisonous fruit without a care in the world, much to everyone's shock. "Mm, delish."

"A-Apostle-sama?!"

"Here you are, Prime Minister," the boy held out his open hand. "These are the culprits to our little incidents."

"S-seeds?"

Aiko, from her spot behind her student couldn't see it. Even when he turned to face them, she cursed her lacking height for still being unable to see it. Yamamoto was considerate, however, as he lowered his palm at an angle, a few black dots visible on it. They were indeed seeds.

"On Earth, we have the apple." Yamamoto-kun resumed while snacking on the other half. "Smaller than this delicious thing, a little harder and not as sweet. But there is an all-important fact to consider when consuming them. The seeds are considered toxic when eaten in large quantities."

"Or, in this case," his tone dropped several degrees. "If they are prepared incorrectly."

"You, go get the Head Maid. Have her call on everyone involved with delivering, preparing, processing, and distributing the fruit." Quick to react, the Prime Minister already sent another aide off with another task. This one far more urgent and had his brow in wrinkles. "But… how could such a dangerous thing remained unknown to us before all this?!"

"The answer to that, Minister, lies in its flavor and difficulty to grow."

"It's not popular, you mean?"

"Indeed. This fruit is sweet. Too sweet for most." He nodded to his side, implying Endou who stood next to him lips pursed. "The only ones who enjoy such things are mostly children and maybe a handful of sweet-loving adults. I take it Minister Decorose-sama was one such man."

Aiko remembered that name. It was one of the dignitaries that had been conversing with her students as well as herself. She had been asked what she could provide as an Apostle, answered politely, then chatted animatedly with about the Kingdom's current economic state. She heard they were running a system similar to European feudal systems, but only then did she notice the relevance of his talking to her. Her class that could help support economic growth, specifically in the agricultural sector.

"Yes, the Minister of Defense has had a penchant for sweets for as long as I've known him."

"That explains why he was one of the victims. The poison isn't really all that bad since the human body can help endure and expel it on its own. According to our world's sciences, the average dosage to kill a man would be proportional to their body size. In this case, I was initially surprised that someone as old and large as Decorose-sama was included. Guess his sweet tooth bit him back this time."

He shrugged but Yamamoto nodded but carried on.

"Back to the point, the fruit wasn't really popular with adults for being too sweet. From what I've gathered, only a handful of nobles really knew where to get them and even fewer actually grew them. I've also heard from Liliana-sama that they don't grow much in the surrounding areas due to the cold climate and devastation by monster attacks. Being such a high-risk low-reward item, I doubt any poisoning cases would even be so serious as to warrant an investigation on the fruit."

So he explained why it was so rare. By his logic, the low demand coupled with the high maintenance made it an unpopular commodity. As a child of farmers, Aiko could see where he was coming from.

"Then… the children—"

"Were all poisoned because the juice's toxicity content." The Hero's query was answered before he finished. "I told you. Pleap fruit is similar to, but more than, an apple. Not just in flavor too."

"Nguh." He bit into the seed and shivered slightly. "Eh, bitter as hell."

"Eh? Eichirou-sama—?!"

"Yamamoto-kun! Why are you eating it?!" Aiko cried suddenly, unintentionally interrupting the king in his surprise. Stating the dangers of the seed then suddenly biting into one while implying the poison was even more so, the teacher worried for his health over respect for the monarch. "You said it was poisonous! What are you thinking?!"

"Not to worry, Hatayama-sensei. We are safe from its effects."

"Even so, you shouldn't just… Eh?"

"Being Apostles, our Resistance stats allow us to endure the pleap seed poison. For us, there shouldn't be any lasting problems."

"Still…" she worried.

Hatayama Aiko worried. It was in her nature to worry over her students. Kids like them should be enjoying life. Not fighting a war, or being kidnapped into another world, or healing an incurable poison, or even _eating _said poison to prove a point! This was not a life they should have. And yet, his casual smile, despite fatigue overtaking it under his façade, eased her fretting and prevented her saying anything further.

It was strange. To have her anxieties washed away by a simple gesture. She couldn't fight it no matter how hard she tried. But even if she did, there would be nothing she could do. She felt helpless as the student did all the things an adult should be taking responsibility of.

"Minister, I've brought them."

Kicking her out of the contemplation, the aid returned with more people following after him. The Head Maid lead the procession of around twenty to thirty servants, ranging from cooks to maids to butlers to deliverymen.

They were all lined up on the opposite side of the hall, just across from the Apostles. The rows were far from organized and resembled a mob. More than a handful acting nervously to be summoned before the king and Apostles and even more were confused while looking around. All the while, several guards had taken positions around them, further raising their anxiety.

"Is this all, Head Maid?" the Prime Minister asked, no, demanded.

"Yes sir," unperturbed, the old woman replied while standing separate from the group. "These are all those involved with the handling of the pleap fruit."

Among them, Aiko saw children. Kids the age of thirteen or even as young as eleven. Of the maids, there were more than a handful barely out of their teens. She even spied the maid that she knew accompanied Yamamoto-kun.

Iselda was her name? The child had her hand clasped with another, taller maid's. This one seemed far more anxious than the children were and seemed to be latching on to her junior for support. Glancing over to Yamamoto-kun, his expression barely changed, seeing the maid he was assigned as a suspect.

"As you are all responsible for the handling of the dish that supposedly poisoned our guests," the minister's words halted some of their breathing. "We will have you all undergo interrogation. Once we find the perpetrator, they shall be punished accordingly—"

"Enough of that folly, Prime Minister." Ishtar, having never spoken until now, disagreed. "Being such light-handed in your approach would be sure to allow the culprit a chance to escape Ehito-sama's judgement."

"Then, what would you suggest, Ishtar-sama," the king asked solemnly.

The pope gave them all a looming glance. From where she stood, Aiko could see it in his eyes. He didn't care what happened to them. They were insignificant to him. Like how so many of the adults in high society disregarded those below them, Ishtar Langbard had the eyes that said he cared little about the masses beneath. But then that begged the question for Aiko:

'Why is he intervening now?'

"Have all the cooks punished for treason. Everyone else is to be dismissed from their jobs and sold as slaves."

That sent a ripple across the room. A very tense one. A lot of the servants were in a panic and begging forgiveness. The ones who weren't were either crying out in anger or kneeling down in prayer. They began to get so rowdy that the cordon of guards began raising their weapons. That only served to cause even more tension.

CLUNK

"SILENCE!" The pope shouted as he slammed his staff. Unlike the beautifully ordained stave with ringlets before, this one was a plainer rod. "Insolent sinners. For having ruined the evening of the Apostles and to even go so far as to complain instead of accepting your just punishment, how shameful of you all. And you call yourself believers of Ehito-sama?"

That quieted them down. But there were still many who cried in fear and frustration.

"Ishtar-san," Amanogawa, looking frustrated, spoke up. "Is there no other way to punish them?"

"Please do not concern yourself over this, Hero-sama. Ehito-sama will deliver their divine punishment, be it as slaves or executed prisoners."

"But there's got to be another way! There has to be! Doing it like this, it doesn't feel right."

He sounded desperate. Aiko knew her student was all about justice and doing the right thing. This scenario was against what he stood for.

"I agree with Amanogawa-kun. Punishing these people without a trial is wrong and immoral. At least give them a chance to defend themselves."

Aiko agreed. She knew most people would. On Earth, it was democratically agreed upon to give prisoners a proper trial. Doing it this way, even if it was just to avoid the actual criminal from escaping was just too harsh. Had this been carried out in their world, the judge would be put on trial for violating human rights, be they a religious figure or not.

"Worry not, Apostles-sama," the pope ignored them yet again. "Ehito-sama is just and fair to all his followers."

"… what a load of bullshit…"

Aiko swore she heard one of her students curse the pope under their breath. It was an ingrained skill she had as a teacher to overhear the slightest of things. But right now, she couldn't tell where it came from or who said as much.

"You got that right, Kousuke."

Whispering from the front, Aiko heard and saw Yamamoto as he massaged his temple and took several steps forward. "Your highness!"

"Eh? What is it, Eichirou-sama?" suddenly being addressed, King Eliheid broke his shocked face from the pope to look to the young man.

"Drastic measures such as that shouldn't be taken." The boy stood firm under the pope's seething gaze. "If all we need is the truth, then just asking them should do over needless slaughter. Besides, there's a chance that all of them are innocent due to a simple mishap. Are you willing to toss your people aside for the sake of catching a single criminal on the off chance they are all guiltless?"

His words were hopeful. They held an air to them that conveyed the needlessness of bloodshed. It may have been the words themselves or maybe the way he said it, but the young man gave the servants hope. Hope that Ishtar dashed just as quickly.

"We don't have time for interrogating them all. Do you expect the culprit to just willingly admit the truth?" The pope mocked. "Prolonging their incarceration gives the culprit a chance to escape. I suggest punishing them all immediately!"

"Langbard-sama, are you suggesting Ehito is incapable of serving out justice unless the culprits are either dead or enslaved? Forgive me for saying this, but that doesn't seem very godlike at all."

The tone Yamamoto had was mocking but also curious. With how snide his expression was, Aiko could tell her student was provoking the older man. But with how tense the atmosphere was, she couldn't scold him or tell him to stop.

"How about you let Anima deal with this?" he suggested. "As my deity is benevolent, I shall prove their innocence or guilt through magic. No blood need be spilled except for the guilty, if there even is one. What say you?"

"There is no such magic to force one to speak the truth!" The eldest man in the room frowned. "The blessing of Ehito-sama does not extend to the free will of his followers as it is Ehito-sama's right alone!"

"And that is the reason why he is beneath Anima."

No one missed the sudden growl in Ishtar's face. No one. Even the king very nearly jumped from his throne.

"Yamamoto," the Hero, however, sounded just as hopeful as the servants were in their pleading eyes. "Are you certain you have a way?"

"Yeah." For once, Yamamoto didn't seem annoyed by Amanogawa. In fact, he had a smile on his face and a strange gleam in his eyes. "Given the chance, no one will have to die today. And, if they are cooperative enough, maybe even the guilty would fess up who ordered it all."

"Got it." Amanogawa-kun nodded, for once, he didn't look bothered by Yamamoto-kun. "I support Yamamoto in this. Ishtar-san, please give him a chance."

The support of the Hero was all that he needed. The guards partially lowered their weapons, hesitant to kill their own countrymen. The accused servants as well cried out and pleaded.

All the while, the one who claimed responsibility under Anima's name stood tall and unmoving. Aiko hoped it wasn't overconfidence on Yamamoto's part, but before she could even think to say anything, Ishtar responded.

CLUNK

"I've heard enough! Throw these people into the dungeons to await their punish—"

"Langbard-sama, don't tell me Ehito is not only incapable of punishing his own sinners without mortal help," Yamamoto interrupted. "But he's also ungrateful at accepting the generous help of his superior god?"

"Wha-what are you blathering about?!"

"You people ask your god for help, and he gets it in the form of children from a world of a higher plane." The boy sounded like he wanted to laugh. "But then when those children, the ones you call _Apostles_, want to resolve a minor incident with a generous offer of a bloodless solution, you refuse. Vehemently at that."

"As I've said, what are you getting on about?!" his voice seethed.

"If you don't mind me asking, Ishtar, for what reason did you summon us here, if not to give you and your people salvation?"

The pope's face twitched from behind his scowl. Aiko didn't miss it. As a teacher, she understood what Yamamoto-kun was doing. He was probing the pope for answers, taking advantage of the situation they were in. If he replied, they got answers as to why they were truly summoned. If he relents, the people would be saved.

A moment passed. Then two. The old man that looked down the defiant boy glared hard… until he gave up with a click of his tongue.

"Very well," the pope's tone was low and cold. "If you wish to continue with this farce, go ahead."

"Oh, I knew you would understand," the boy mocked back. "Anima forgives you for your near interference yet again, _Pupa_. Not to worry, however. Through her grace, no innocent shall be harmed."

As Yamamoto slowly approached the mob of the nervous accused, he pulled out a sheet and something that resembled chalk before beginning to draw on the audience hall's floor with the paper slip's contents as reference.

Despite the magnitude and complexity of the circle, Aiko found his choice of words rather odd. As if this wasn't the first time the student and the pope had this exchange.

"Yamamoto, what did you mean by 'again'?" The Hero, clueless as the teacher was questioned.

"You see, Amanogawa-kun and everyone else, Langbard-sama nearly intervened in the healing ritual of Eliheid-sama's children. As it was Anima's will they survive, I took measures to prevent Langbard-sama from interfering. First, I had to silence him. But then when he remained uncooperative, I had to put him to sleep."

They were all taken aback by the news and maybe the audacity of his saying it.

"Did you have to go so far?" Meld who had remained observant thus far decided to question while glancing at the fuming priest. "He's the pope, y'know?"

"What was I supposed to do?" He shrugged as if to show he didn't know what to do at the time. "Langbard-sama was overreacting to the situation. Had I not, Lady Liliana and Master Lundel would have both died without medical attention. Them as well as the rest of the victimized aristocracy."

"Is this true, Ishtar-sama?" The Prime Minister decided now to speak up. But the pope didn't respond. He was too busy staring at Yamamoto-kun's direction. "If Yamamoto-sama was even a little late, the Kingdom would have lost the heir and the princess as well! This is a grave situation for even one such as yourself to lose your calm in—"

"No need to be so harsh on him Prime Minister. Ishtar is only human, after all." From his drawing on the floor, the boy didn't look up, but spoke aloud for all to hear. "The situation has long passed and no one was harmed."

Facing the throne as he kneeled, he smiled like a saint.

"Anima has already forgiven you for losing your composure, Langbard-sama. She understands your actions as a fit of personal concern over the lives of the children of Ehito. Thus, your near-interference at the time has been looked over."

No one else spoke up or responded. All they did was watch and observe as the young man etched his circle onto the floor.

"This?! This is—?!" The Court Mage was the only one to break the silence, heavily breathing while crawling on all fours around the magic circle. "The complexity of this circle, its markings, that formation, all of these I don't recognize… And this dust…" sniffing a line, he was taken aback. "With such a complicated magic circle, why are you using such poor magic crystals?! The mana used to sustain something of this caliber should require more than these powdered stones could handle!"

Neither Aiko nor her students knew what he was talking about. They've only been having lectures on magic every so often. And being from another world, the topic was still alien to them. But from how he spoke and the expression of disbelief he wore, Hatayama Aiko could tell Break Senec's common sense of magic was about to be blown away. That or Yamamoto was attempting to do the impossible.

For the sake of her student, she prayed it was the former.

"Haaah, this is why working with Hajime makes this easier." He sighed as he got up. "Now then. How to explain?"

Dusting his knees, he addressed the rest of the hall. Specifically the audience of anxious servants. After a few seconds of contemplation, he was ready.

"Alright. To those who have been accused of poisoning the noble families and disrupting the welcoming of the Apostles, I present to you a choice. This circle before me," he gestured to the floor with a smile. "This is my deity's personal magic. Once activated and a question has been asked, only the truth shall be spoken. If you believe you are innocent, I urge you to step in alongside your fellows. Those of you who remain were you stand, Anima will not assume responsibility for you as you have chosen to be judged by Ehito, or in this case, Pope Ishtar."

A glance to the pope. The man was staring hard, both at Yamamoto and his circle. Aiko didn't know if he meant it as a challenge or he doubted the legitimacy of the circle. She spared a glance to the others on the stage as well. The King watched in awe but was cautiously glancing at the priest every now and then. The Prime Minister was sweating bullets, unable to hep but also interfere.

On the ground, Amanogawa had a determined expression. The rest of her students all watched in awe, wondering what the magic would do. Meld and his men stood still and observed curiously. The guards had all stepped aside to let the servants voluntarily approach her student's circle.

"Now, have you made your choice?" Yamamoto raised his hands. "Tried by a foreign god and given a chance to live?" he held up his left aimed at the air. "Or punished by Ehito for a crime you may or may not have committed?" he held up his right while directing it at the pope.

Aiko personally thought that was a low blow. It was a no-brainer for a human being to choose the choice with a higher chance of survival. Doing so was only human instinct. But to pit their faith in Ehito against it by using Ishtar's ruthlessness? Aiko wasn't religious by any means, but even she believed this was underhanded.

"I shall only begin when all those who wish to be judged fairly have taken their place in the center of the circle."

Yamamoto was patient, announcing so. All the servants were nervously glancing around. They looked eager to try for their freedom's sake but not wanting to be first, instead waiting for one of them to make the first move. After a few bustling and shifting around, one of them stepped forward.

"O-oy! Iselda-chan?"

The older maid called out to her junior. The child ignored her and took gentle steps until she stood directly at the center of the circle. Despite being the first, she was trembling in place. Even she wasn't immune to the stress and tension the others felt.

Judging by the girl's expression, Aiko felt she might've been really religious and had felt betrayed by suddenly being dismissed and instructed to becoming a slave. But that didn't matter as her student approached the girl, patted her on the head to calm her down and whispered something that only she could hear.

It must've been effective as her trembling stopped just as Yamamoto returned to outside the circle.

"One out of the thirty or so of you." He nodded to himself. "At the very least, I have saved one. Not my proudest to show to Anima, but it is still better than zero—"

"Wait!" Another one of the servants, an old chef this time, stepped forward. Looking around the circle, he then turned his beady eyes toward the Apostle. "Your magic cured one of my apprentices after she had drunk the poison. I thank you for that."

"Ah, so you're young Sue's master, are you?"

"That's right." He took a deep breath then wore a determined look. "You saved that child. I will trust you on this."

At his words, one more, then two, then all of the servants soon followed through. Aiko noticed that the first maid to step forward was being berated by an older one for leaving her behind. After all the accused had gathered in the circle, it began.

_"Ignosce illis, quia peccavimus.  
Non ergo animarum suarum imperio cadunt in ventum."_

The circle glowed and wind started to circle the place. The accused began to panic, but when no harm befell them, the all stood in awe.

_"Per lumen tuum, et gloria divina,  
Invenire mendacium nobis signum."_

The words echoed in the hall as Yamamoto began performing something neither Aiko nor the class had ever witnessed before. It was magic on a grand scale that even had the Court Mage speechless.

_"Veritatem Fateri!"_

The circle's light changed colors. From red to blue to yellow and on. The vibrant rainbow continued to swirl. The people within the circle were all a mix of emotions as well. Wonder, bewilderment, fear, confusion. From the adults to the young kids, no one could even fathom the amazing scene they were in. Aiko's students as well were speechless.

"Holy…"

"It's beautiful…"

"Is Yamamoto-kun… what do they call it?"

"A saint…?"

Well, speechless as they could get before rustling up a new rumor to denote the boy.

They whispered behind their teacher who wanted to disagree. For a teenager to pull off something this amazing and bewilder even the adults, he could have been really, really talented, or he could be a miracle worker. This was a world of magic, sure. But then, he had said his magic _wasn't_ of this world. So then, that implied it was from Earth.

But Hatayama Aiko, not in her twenty-five years, had never heard of flashy performances like this being legitimized as magic, unless it was a phony magic show.

"Okay. Now, to prove your innocence, I shall ask several questions. All you need to do is answer. Is that clear?" They all nodded. Then paused. Suddenly, they were all acting surprised as if to wonder why they were nodding. The light from the circle began changing color once again as soon as their confusion began to mount. "Now, now, I've told you. Only the truth can be answered here. This is a part of the magic, after all."

His interrogation began.

First were the questions of knowledge.

Who knew that pleap fruits were poisonous? Many answered negative while a few admitted to know. The following question was directed to them.

Where did they hear it from? 'Rumors' was their unanimous admission. This proved the fruit's characteristics weren't documented or universally accepted.

Which part of the fruit was poisonous? None were sure and had guessed the flesh or skin. A child had guessed if it was the seed. But when prompted how he knew this, it was just that, a guess.

Finally, how was the juice made? The general consensus was too crush the fruit in a container. Several variations from honest guesses. But all had agreed that removing the stalk, skin, and seeds were necessary and that only the flesh should get crushed due to the three things being dirty, bland, and bitter consecutively.

This batch of questions proved one thing: none of the servants present actually had knowledge on how to properly prepare the drink but had a minor understanding of what needed to be excluded.

All the while, the circle's color remained pure.

The next batch of questions covered method of preparation and what they all did. No faults were found. No one had purposefully tampered with the dishes by mixing crushed seeds or anything else.

The final set of question was of intent.

"Are there any one of you who had malicious intentions during the course of the party concerning the present nobles?"

"""No.""" "Yes, eh?"

For the first time since starting, the color of the circle fluctuated and shone differently under one of the servants.

"Amelia-san, step forward please."

"Eh? Ah?! What?!" The girl was in a panic. The first to be given a different response was usually the first sign of trouble. "But-but, I didn't mean any—"

"Amelia!" The Head Maid herself silenced the girl's ramblings with a frozen stare Aiko only dreamed of emulating.

"Now," Yamamoto approached her slowly, calmly, so as not to startle her any further. "Did you poison the drinks served last night?"

"Eh? No!"

"Did you mean to poison the target of your malicious intent?"

"No, no, no!"

"Who did you mean for your malicious intent?"

"The-the," she cupped her lips, trying not to say. Seeing this, Aiko and the rest of the audience watched as she almost ended up crying.

"Amelia, if you find it difficult or embarrassing to say aloud, do you want to have one person else hear it and conveyed to me instead?"

The girl glanced at him hopefully then nodded furiously. Stepping aside, the Head Maid leaned in to listen to her woes. She hesitated at first, but with a nod and a head pat of reassurance, she relented. The eldest maid then conveyed the child's grievances to the Apostle before he nodded and spoke clearly, directing it to the Prime Minister.

"Margrave Verdoben is now a suspect of harassing the palace's staff. Multiple accounts. This child and many more are both witnesses as well as a victim." The cold tone echoed along the hall. "I trust this matter will be addressed by your grace personally, or is it within your laws and Ehito's teachings to allow such debauchery?"

"No-no such thing, Apostle-sama. By my honor, he will be dealt with."

"See it done. Does anyone else have any complaints?"

None responded. Neither the king, pope nor knight commander. The Hero, however, trembled where he stood.

"Eh? You mean… I was wrong…?"

No one really paid much attention as Amanogawa stood in place and contemplated his impressions of the nobleman. The only exception was the invisible boy observed all.

The Minister was already giving his instructions for an investigation. Aiko thought he looked relieved to be doing something other than watching as well as furious for another offense going unnoticed and bothering the Apostles. How such an incident went unpunished she know, but with her student having called attention to it on his own accord, Aiko felt a little amount of pride that there was some extra good to what he was doing.

After repeating a few more questions, the interrogation ended. The circle hadn't alarmed up for anyone else and they were all proven innocent. Much to the dismay of Ishtar.

"It seems my conjecture was right after all. None of these people were guilty of poisoning anyone."

The servants as well as the present Apostles all breathed a sigh of relief. The Knights and guards relaxed as well and only the Court Mage remained in a frenzy, trying to study much of the circle before its light faded and the inscriptions made by magic crystal dust vanished with it.

"I see. We shall investigate further into this to find the real culprit. I believe there are no objections to that regard?"

"Hmph."

"None, Prime Minister." The king nodded while ignoring the pope's indignant attitude before turning to the Apostles. "Eichirou-sama, once again I thank you for the help you have given us. To you all as well, dear Apostles, for the aide you gave us during the incident."

"We were just doing our duty, your highness." Amanogawa-kun, speaking in full capacity as a Hero, spoke for most of his classmates humbly. "No need to thank us for this."

"As my students say, we only did what was necessary for the emergency."

Aiko was fine with being humble. Her students didn't need the reward. What they needed was a way to go home, something that the king can't provide but hopefully, Yamamoto will succeed in achieving. Until then, they shouldn't owe these people too much and just play it safe.

"Such humbleness," the king bowed to them once again. One for the Hero and another for the short teacher before nodding to one more person. "Eichirou-sama, about the matter we discussed previously."

"I leave it to you, Eliheid-sama."

Yamamoto-kun bowed graciously as the king nodded. Just as Amanogawa-kun or any of the other classmates could wonder what they were talking about, the king rose up from his seat.

"By my name, as Eliheid of the Heiligh Kingdom, I hereby give this Royal Decree to have the credit of solving this incident got to Anima. By this decree, any and all prayers of thanks and gratitude concerning it will all be addressed to the Yamamoto Eichirou-sama's god of another—"

CLUNK

"Not so fast, Eliheid!" The pope stepped forward. Pointing a finger at the man, he berated loudly, like a parent would their child to humiliate in a public setting. "By who's authority do you order this decree? Ehito-sama has not given his blessing for you to make such—"

"Ehito has no say in this matter, Ishtar." Another interruption from the audience. Yamamoto-kun stepped forward as well. "Your god has no say in who gets the thanks or praise for this matter. Unless you wish to claim that it was Ehito's will that these people be tossed to an early grave without giving them a chance at validating their innocence? I do believe this incident has stressed your aged mind far too much, Langbard."

"I agree with the boy, Ishtar-sama." Meld-san spoke up with his knights wearing surprised but agreeing expression. "Had this young man not stepped forward, more than a few of our innocent citizens would have been falsely executed and enslaved. All because of hasty decisions."

"I side with them as well, Ishtar-sama." The Prime Minister cleaned his spectacles and stepped forth. "Perhaps this matter has had an effect on your mind. I suggest you rest for the day, Ishtar-sama."

Finding no allies among the upper echelon of the governing body, the pope glanced towards the Hero, Apostles, and the rest of the audience.

No one gave him the time of day among the classmates. The servants and guards all seemed to think his mind was just addled and exhausted. The Hero didn't say anything. He didn't even look at Ishtar or notice everyone doing so. Still lost in his own contemplation.

Aiko watched tensely, hoping that the man just up and left. From the entire exchange alone, she had already deduced Yamamoto to have offended the religious order of this world by his insistence of claiming glory for his god.

As the worry wart teacher she was, this was something all she could do about was worry. However, she had nothing to fear. For now at least.

"Hmph, perhaps you are right, minister. I shall retire early then, to rest before I make any more mistakes."

Retreating from the stage, he made to glare once more at Yamamoto-kun before leaving the hall through the back. Clearing his throat, the king finished his Royal Decree before dismissing them all.

Aiko had wanted to take this opportunity to have a little one-on-one with Yamamoto about the consequences of his actions, but he was already gone by the time she was done listening to the king. Apparently, he had left as soon as Eliheid started his decree, stating exhaustion as his reason before being accompanied by two maids and an Endou out the audience chamber.

Judging by how the king didn't seem to mind, it was probably because he too was worried for the boy's health. To that, the diminutive teacher just sighed and hoped to talk with her student another day.

* * *

The details of the new Royal Decree were thus.

'All thanks of resolving the incident is to be given under Anima's name. Those who were saved by the Apostle, Yamamoto Eichirou's, Divine Protection magic is to make a written prayer of their gratitude to be burned at any fireplace or hearth before the end of the night. The letter should entail their gratitude, whatever else they wished to pray for, and finally a closing line to end the prayer.'

That day, many hearths burned bright with appreciation and acknowledged the generous god of healing and mercy. Rumors flew swiftly as the wind of a deity that resided in the Apostle's world. A benevolent being that took the form of a caring mother and just father all at once. One who watched out for her children as well as those her children called friends and companions. One who took in those that Ehito had given up on.

Many cried out for it as heresy. Few believed the pope to have actually been suffering of exhaustion and believed his decision to order for the servants' punishment as just and right. But many more countered that. If the pope was truly pushing for the killing of innocents, many found it abhorrent behavior for the Church of the Saints. They also deduced that if this god was a form of heretical teachings, what about the Apostles who came from the heretic god's world to save them all? Was Ehito right in summoning them and thereby recognizing the so called heretic as a deliverer of his will?

The upper class debated as much. Some going so far as to suggest that it may not be so bad to recognize the new god's name. Others spoke of dissent, claiming that it was a false prophet and a usurper among the Apostles trying to oust Ehito. Many more debated on just how a fake god could heal a relatively new poison that affected nearly two-hundred nobles and not be found a fraud when the physicians and the healers of the palace themselves claimed it to be a miracle of foreign magic.

The commoner masses and uneducated folk, however, all chose to remain silent, praying that this new god would bless them in some way, shape, or form. Why? It was all due to the closing line of prayer that all the healed nobles as well as the acquitted servants had to write down in their letters.

_"Glory to Anima, healer of the sick, defender of the innocent. By his just hand, and her comforting embrace, all is for the sake of his/her children."_

_"Gloriam Anima, omnibus patrinus."_

* * *

"You sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine."

I waved off his concern, desperate to get some time to myself. I didn't hate Kousuke or his company, but right now, I really wanted to be alone.

"If you need any help, please don't hesitate to call on me, Yamamoto-sama."

"I as well, Yamamoto-sama… I really can't thank you enough… for your help."

"No worries. Go get some rest, alright?"

"As you wish, let's go Amelia-senpai."

"Thank-hic… thank you again…sniff…"

The older maid sniffled and hiccupped her thanks as her junior guided her away. Suspicious as I was about them before, now I was unsure.

"I'll go visit Hajime and check on him if everything's fine with the rest of the patients."

"Thanks, man."

Kousuke nodded and vanished, figuratively, just before I closed the door and locked it with a click.

"Haaah…"

I slumped back on the empty seat at the center of the room. A sigh left as my heavy shoulders relaxed then tensed again. It was around noon by now. The sun shone from behind the drapes, illuminating the dim room with subdued orange light. But the place was spotless. It must've been cleaned while I was at the party. The suits I had been comparing before attending were all removed from the bed and neatly returned to the closet. The mirror across me showed a haggard and stressful young man after all that bullshit the pope put me through.

"Come on out!"

No one responded to his maddened cry. The silence allowed him to hear the fast thumping of his beating heart. Slowly but surely, the quiet reply proved he was truly losing his mind.

"I know you're there! Stop hiding already."

He got up from his seat and walked directly before the mirror. Red and tired eyes akin to those of a wild beast. His throat, parched from the earlier meeting, itched to no end.

"Shut up with the narrating and come on out already!"

_'… Fine. Fine. Such a melodrama...'_

From the corner of my eye, I saw the reflective surface of the glass shimmer slightly. But when I glanced as it, I was disappointed. I looked the same on the mirror as I should in reality. No glowing eyes. No ghastly grins. No change whatsoever to my appearance.

"Where are you?"

_'I never left. I've been in your head all this time since yesterday.'_

The sound was all around. At the same time, nowhere. Looking in my vicinity, no one was present in the room except for myself and my reflection.

_'Just how long do you plan on looking for a voice?'_

"Haaah…" Well what exactly was I expecting? For it to have a face? "… … … What the fuck is going on?"

One moment, I was alone and panicking. In another, I had some… _thing_… moving my body against my will. Then, I became a passenger in my own head. Next thing I know, the kids were fine. Liliana was fine. Coughing up syrup and shit but otherwise better than they were before, struggling for air.

Shit.

.

.

.

Thank god.

_'From that response, I believe my choice of actions were satisfactory?'_

It sounded proud. I wasn't.

"To hell with 'satisfactory'. What the hell were you planning, making me Ishtar's public enemy number one?!"

_'I did what I must. The fool would've interfered with the healing had I not silenced him. Unless, you would rather I had let the children die?'_

I didn't respond to that. I couldn't. The answer was clear as day.

No. Definitely no.

Maybe it was right. This could be the best decision there was. Or at least, at the time.

_'Of course, it is. Even you saw it for yourself. The pope cares not for his followers, no matter how faithful they are. Not just the two children or guests would have died if he saw my powers as heretical. Even their servants for my standing for their rights, had I not played the 'interference of another god' act.'_

My thoughts went back to when I helplessly watched as a handful had gotten down in their knees, begging for amnesty from the pope. The way Ishtar just watched them with indifference, like they didn't matter at all, made me think he would order their deaths without even hesitating. Looking back on it, maybe he would have.

Had this… _thing_… not hijacked me and intervened.

"Still. Did you have to knock him out? You could have at least paralyzed him or stopped him from moving last night!"

_'And then what? Release him as soon as it was over? Are you absolutely certain he wouldn't attempt something to undo their recovery and claim it as 'cleansing Anima's contaminating of Ehito's followers'? Can you promise he won't use their demise after as a legitimate reason for ridding the kingdom of you?'_

"… No… fuck…"

Ishtar seemed to be the type to always be in control, no matter the situation. He had been when he convinced Amanogawa to take on the mantle of Hero. He was whenever the king was there to make decisions. If not directly, he was always around, influencing them from the shadows or the side. But now, he wasn't.

Not when he had been made to play the delirious fool in front of his believers by this..._thin—_

_'How many times must you be so rude to someone who's done their best to aid you?'_

"What?"

_'Constantly referring to myself as an object, just how insolent can you be?'_

"I don't exactly have a designation for you, now do I? You just popped out of nowhere and start pulling some Latin-based sorcery like you're some sage's reincarnation. Hell, let alone _who_, I don't even know _what_ you are!"

_'I am my own being. I have my own sentience. That alone should prove I am not a mere object. '**Cogito, ergo sum'** is what your people called it, I believe.'_

"How the hell can you even quote Descartes when I've never had a parasite in my head before getting into this hellhole?!"

_'Because I can access your memories. Maybe it is due to our current… circumstances, but I can reminisce your memories as I could my own, if I had them.'_

"Wait… what? You don't know?!"

_'Granted, I have not the slightest inkling to my own identity. I know not who I am, where I'm from, or the origin of my abilities. But I do know who you are, about your original home, as well as this place. Or what you've already found out about it."_

"You've been peeking into my head?"

_"My reach into your mind is the same as yours. I can sift through your recent recollections about as much as you can. Anything you might've forgotten before I came to be is permanently lost, however. I can also empathize with some emotions related to certain memories.'_

Great.

Just great.

Not only was I growing careless from homesickness, my sanity is losing its grasp as well! Now I have an imaginary friend that can sift through everything I know and empathize with all the crap I have to deal with. If this isn't some crackhead coping mechanism to help me keep it together by the stitches, I don't know what is!

Amazing! Fantastic!

It's an absolutely fucking wonderful time to be alive!

_'Hey! I am not some parasite nor am I a fabrication created by your mind. My abilities should serve as proof of that.'_

.

.

.

Shit. It's right on that point. No imagination could be able to bend nature to their will or harmlessly force poison out of another's body. Then again, if this was schizophrenia, maybe it would explain why I had lost control of my own body.

_'You did not lose control. I merely borrowed it for the sake of assisting you.'_

"'Borrowed' in the sense that I couldn't even do anything while _something_ reigned free to—"

_'I have told you to stop referring to me as an object!'_

"And as I've said. I don't know _who_ or _what_ you are. I have nothing to call you by."

_'…Then, think up of a name for me.'_

Huh?!

_'Give. Me. A name. Was that too hard to comprehend? If you find it so difficult to refer to me as a sentient being, then name me.'_

It… that was a true point. If one can't designate or categorize, one wouldn't see any other way to do so. Thinking of a and calling by name should eliminate the problem.

"Alright then." I nodded at no one in particular as I leaned back into my seat. "How about… Jim—"

_'Stop right there. Just because I'm a voice in your head does not permit you to name me after a cricket.'_

Dammit. It was thematically fitting as well.

_'Refrain from any more animal names as well. I am a… well _what exactly_ isn't important now. But I am self-aware. So at least give me something… human.'_

"Okay. Joh—."

_'No.'_

"Jack—."

_'No.'_

"James—?"

_'No.'_

"Oh come on! Why do you have to be so—?!"

_'Will you stop shouting? A voice I may be, but the higher volume serves no purpose other than to call attention to yourself. I can communicate with you just fine even if you'd just think what you wish to say.'_

Wait. Was I calling attention to myself?

_'Had the young maids and boy not left, they would no doubt hear you talking to yourself from beyond the door.'_

Ah. Shit. Now that I think about it, you've been responding to me even when I was just thinking to myself.

_'Indeed. Now hurry up and give me a name.'_

It would be oh so fucking easy if someone wasn't so picky.

_'If someone were to give you a designation to last for eternity, would you prefer they be indifferent about it? How would you feel if your name meant 'arrogant' or 'bastard'?'_

None of those names were offensive!

_'But neither are they really unique. No offense to the current owners of those names, but I'd rather not be the ten-millionth John. Not something copied over so many centuries.'_

What do you want? Caesar?

_'Rejected. A name denotes identity. I wish to be known only by a name you gave me about me. Not naming me after another.'_

Hmph. It's just a placeholder. Why put so much importance on it?

I thought about it. And continued. And continued. And… … … nothing. I got nothing. Absolutely nothing.

_'What is it that you find so difficult?'_

You said you want a name with meaning. I can't give you meaning. I hardly _know_ you. How am I supposed to name you when you don't have a physical characteristic, discernible traits, or even a gender that I can correlate the name with?

_'You have my voice. Try think related to that.'_

I sighed and thought about it. Then, how about Vox—

_'Please avoid translations of the word 'voice'.'_

Tch. A name on voices. Voice. Voice… Speech—?

_'Please make it a short, effeminate name.'_

.

.

.

What?!

_'I said to make it a short girl's name.'_

And why did it have to be female? You don't even sound remotely effeminate.

_'You said you found it difficult without characteristics to go by. I don't know what my original gender was, so I'm simply laying out my current preference through random conditions. Is naming me female a problem?'_

No. It's just… you know what? Nevermind. It's your damn name. I don't care.

_'Well then hurry up.'_

I stood up and sighed. As I began pacing, I contemplated on my options and what I had to go by.

Voice. Speech. Song. Singing… Female.

How about 'Emer?'

_'No.'_

'Lyra?'

_'Nope.'_

…

* * *

Several or so suggestions later…

* * *

My eye was twitching. I had stopped pacing nearly an hour ago and lied back on the bed. The noon sky had passed and afternoon was upon me. I had yet to rest ever since arriving to my own bedroom. The reason as to why was none other than the picky voice in my head.

_'Did you think of a name yet?'_

Yeah, I fucking did! How would you like 'Euphie—'?

_'Denied. Naming me after a fictional human character is better than an animal. But to name me after one that reminds you of such depressing emotions… I'd rather not.'_

Oh. My. God. Why is that important?! It's just a fictional character from a TV show! What the hell is the problem now?!

_'It doesn't… feel… right. Fictional it may be, I feel uncomfortable to be associated with tragic characters.'_

HOW?!

_'I can't explain it. But when I touch on your emotions, I feel… off. Like they're several times more intense than they should be.'_

Ugh. Fine. But that doesn't explain why you can't just accept any other meaningless name. It was hard to choose one without any conditions or preferences but rejecting nearly eighty names already is fucking ridiculous!

_'I'm sorry, okay! Not one of your suggestions clicked.'_

For god's sake, if you don't find it good now, you could just change it later. It's not like you have to go through the name changing process on Earth.

_'As I've said, I want a name to call my own. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I'd prefer if it wasn't generic, animal-related, food-related, male, too long, childish, ridiculous, a name of someone you know, and related to some negative emotion in your memories.'_

I facepalmed. Hard.

I was exhausted. It—no, no… wants a feminine name—_she_ had been adding new conditions after every five or six suggestions. I was worn-out from running around and thinking. Going through names like they were pennies for a long-distance payphone call was just stupidly draining.

Of all the things to trouble me today, why was a name so fucking annoying?

.

.

.

"Haaah. Ah, I give up. Fuck it. Fuck it all to hell."

_'Have you given up or not?'_

"Screw this. 'Mia' will do."

_''Mia'? Is that.. a pun? Is this a joke to you?'_

You wanted a name to 'call your own'. You get one. It means 'mine'. It's short, a girl's name, and when you need to introduce yourself, you can say "oh hi, my name is Mia/mine" and the message will get across.

_'It's not funny.'_

I'm not trying to be. Your name is 'Mia' because I'm tired of thinking. You gave me a headache for denying each and everyone of my suggestions despite them all being perfectly adequate. I'm done.

_'Oy, don't just leave it at that! Take this seriously!'_

I AM taking it seriously. A name means nothing to me. I don't give a damn about the other Eichirou's or Yamamoto's in existence. All I care about is the one who gave me the name. If you don't like, make one up your own. You have access to my memories, don't you? Have fun sifting through all the books I've read in the past!

_'That's not fair!'_

I never had a choice of my name to begin with. Why should you? It doesn't matter. Right now, _you_ are Mia. End of discussion.

_'…'_

.

_'…'_

.

_'… Mia…'_

"Got a problem?"

_'… No… It'll do… for now at least.'_

"Haaah…Finally!"

Jumping off my bed, I made to undress before actually getting some sleep. I'd rather not wear a suit to bed. Besides reeking of sweat, my family photo would just get wrinkled.

"Now that we had that sorted out. I can get some rest. We'll discuss everything else later. I'm too tire—"

BADUMP DUMP

_'O-oy! What's wrong with you? Hey! You alright?'_

"What… the…?"

Why am I face first on the floor? My hand had fallen by the side of my face while the other was crushed beneath my own body's weight. I couldn't move. My eyelids felt heavy.

Ah shit. I feel sleepy. The exhaustion from yesterday's caught up to me.

_'Haaah… that's all?'_

I couldn't respond. I wanted to… but my mouth was being uncooperative. I was losing consciousness, fast.

_'To have such a weak body, as a host, you certainly aren't much to behold.'_

Bite me. If you don't like it, go get someone else.

_'I would if I could, but, well, as you can see, such is impossible.'_

Ah. Dammit.

_'Worry not. I shall take care of your body while you're out.'_

My droopy eyes shot wide open and struggled to stay that way.

What the hell are you planning on—?!

_'Nothing at the moment. Merely to prepare you for bed. Of course, you wouldn't have a problem with that,_ _will you?'_

Why? You aren't planning anything else?

_'Do I seem like the type to assume your identity at my convenience?! Hmph, how rude… Perhaps it's because we share a body and thereby, whatever happens to you will just as negatively affect me. This is just me doing my part to keep you alive and healthy. Besides, for all we know, we're stuck together. Whether we like it or not.'_

Huh… seems… reasonable…

_'Sleep. Let me take care of things while you rest.'_

Unable to fault her logic, I let the darkness take me. Just as I plunged into the deep, I felt the controls of my body be taken away from me.

* * *

He was gone. Asleep.

Here I was, alone in his body.

_"Finally. Some peace and quiet!"_

Pushing off the floor, I felt the heaviness of his body weigh me down by the arms. It was different compared to the weightlessness of floating inside his head. I could _feel_.

_"Ow…"_ Dusting off his, no right now it was _my_, chest, I cricked my neck before giving the new body a few stretches. _'This body really isn't all that impressive…_'

Walking up to the mirror, I saw his face. The eyes were a deep shade of violet. Unlike yesterday, they weren't shining. Why? Even I didn't know. I tried smiling. It came out normal. Or as normal as it should.

Having only come into existence recently, I wouldn't know how to tell if one was healthy or not. Sifting through his memories on the matter, his eyes weren't all that sunken despite having to wear thick glasses to account for his deplorable eyesight.

While on the topic of his face, his looks were, as far as the memories told me, pretty average. Not effeminate and certainly not very manly. Pretty much in the midpoint. If it weren't for his generic black hairstyle, he wouldn't look as bland as those characters in the novels he's read.

I pulled back the hair as far as I could. His forehead was clean but mediocre. His complexion wasn't all that strange either. Maybe slightly tanner than the average teenager. It probably had to do with his family's travelling.

Family.

The words brought a strange feeling into play.

Taking a seat, I decided to explore my host's mind a bit more. Of course, I will do as needed and have his body rest. But that doesn't mean I can't learn more about him during the process. Now, let's see.

_'Yamamoto Eichirou. A really, really nervous wreck. Likes to relax and watch, most of the time.'_ In short, lazy. _'Enjoys music, has a talent for storytelling? How conceited!'_

Looking through his memories, I saw his siblings enjoying the music and the stories. I noted how his instructors praised him while practicing various songs on an instrument I was personally unfamiliar with, but when it came to the stories, the only positives were that he was willing and able to enact or perform them through action or costumes. I doubted that was enough to call him a _talented storyteller_.

_'Home is… pretty much nowhere permanent.' _Now wasn't that curious._ 'Traveling with family's twisted his sense of home from 'place to relax' to 'anywhere family is'.'_

The warm feeling resurfaced. Twice as uplifting this time.

_'Family. Siblings. Two?' _Beaming expressions come to mind. _"This fluttering feeling. It's… burning? A passion along with… joy? He seems to adore them, as far as his doting is concerned.'_

I felt the emotions well up as I thought of them. The ones he seems to cherish most. Oddly enough, they were also the ones he thought of when he was with the princess this morning. Even while I waited at the back of his head, I could feel what he felt except tenfold. The exception was when he, or his mind, was asleep.

_'And thank god for this peace I finally get. Now, where were we? Ah, right. Parents. Father.' _The feelings there were a little mixed._ 'A slight distance, but otherwise familial. The mom… huh, that's strange. It feels… empty. Like I, no, like he doesn't remember…'_

I winced and thought that shouldn't be right before taking off his coat. Pulling out the contents of the inner pockets, I laid the Status Plate artifact thingy on the bedside table. As for the other,

_'Ah, here it is.'_

A photo of the 'family' he so cherishes. Looking over it, I saw the toddlers and the younger Eichirou. I saw the father and the one next to him, opposite the boy.

_'So this is the moth—?'_ His mind disagreed then corrected me. _'The stepmother?'_

That explained the blank I got when I thought of the word. Hm… I tried digging further while studying the faces on the picture as well as that of the siblings of the one taped to the back.

_"Adorable._"

I couldn't help but say so aloud. I may not have been here long or known them personally but, having access to not only his memories but his emotions as well, it felt like I had experienced enough to know I could call them adorable.

_'Hm?' _Right as I was flipping it back, I noticed the seam where the smaller photo of the twins was taped onto the family group shot. A gap was present between the pictures._ 'What's this—?!'_

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING

"Ack—!" A sudden pain surged through my skull. The photo dropped to the floor as I held onto both sides of my head. _"What the—?!"_

BADUMP

It surged forth like a ringing in my ears before disappearing completely and replaced by beats.

BADUMP

'… No… No! ...'

_'What?' _I noted the return of someone who should have been asleep.

BADUMP

'… … Please… … Don't!...'

_"Eichirou?"_ I asked through the thumping in my head.

BADUMP

'… No!... Not again!...'

The words were fragmented. More echoes than an actual request.

_'Is he… having a nightmare?'_

The whimpers continued on and on for a while. Slowly, they began to fade along with the thumping. Soon, it was quiet once again.

_'That was… strange,'_ I thought.

Really, really strange.

I looked down to the photo and picked it off the floor. I didn't dare look at the seam again. It might've been the cause of my mental roommate's sudden episode. But as I looked at the photo, I noticed it was blurry.

I took of his glasses and pulled the image closer. It was still fuzzy, indistinct. Maybe he was farsighted, but the memories disagreed. His eyesight was really bad and was actually in the negative. Nearsighted as hell. I should be able to clearly see the photo from an inch close.

It wasn't until I had worn them again and checked the mirror that I found out what was wrong.

Tears. A lot of them. It was flooding my face. His eyes were like leaking dams.

Staring back at the photo, I noticed a new feeling in my chest. I hadn't noticed it before because of the pain in my head. But now that I did, it felt intense. A mass of emotions swirled within. The more I tried to comprehend them, the more the tears came flowing.

Finding a towel, I dried his tears off of my face. Thinking on it, it didn't feel like _I_ was in pain. Rather, it felt like _he_ was and I just watched it happen. The ringing was like a sign of his pain. The thumping, I realize, was his heart racing.

A glance at my reflection, my eyes were now dry, but they were red. Bloodshot.

I didn't understand if it was anger. Or fear. Or sorrow. Whatever it was, it was too heavy to comprehend. Even though I could feel his emotions somewhat amplified, the feeling that wasn't my own had surged through me but felt muted. Empty. Like it was being erased just as soon as it came to be.

_'Just who are you, Yamamoto Eichirou?'_ One glance at the photo then back at the mirror. _'Ah, how confusing.'_

The feeling was. Just as much as the missing memories and sudden physical reaction. I sighed then remembered something else that was equally, if not even more gravely, important.

_'Who am I?'_

* * *

**_So here you guys go. A bit late, yeah. But bad news, this one's actually early compared to the upcoming chaps._**

**_Announcement time: I have IRL stuff to deal with._**

**_Expect the next three or so chapters to be really delayed. Like maybe an extra week or two. I have an idea on how to move the story forward and jump right into the FALL that so many of you must've come here for (despite me trying not to emulate canon too much) so expect that in two chaps, maybe end of this month or a bit into next._**

**_As for this chap, you all may notice it got a little shabby at the later bit. I experienced a crash and wasn't able to recover most of the already finished bits._**

**_Fun fact. That's the reason why this is a slightly shorter chap. I didn't really have the free time to go over it all again. If I feel like it, maybe I'll polish it up. But right now, I really need to focus on some major BS school as school._**

**_Second fun fact. While looking up the other kanji that my OC's name could spell out, I found the most literal one google could give me was for 'picture'. So I used that to cover up the last part the crash had taken away from me._**

**_Anyways, enjoy this while you can. Next chap WILL be a time skip for all you rushers._**

**_P.S. Almost forgot._**

**_One of you told me in the reviews that you expected a self-insert and not an OC and were misled by my summary. A lot of you probably experienced the same. My bad. I apologize for that. I really wasn't thinking much when I put that there. It's updated now to make sure no one else gets it mixed up._**

**_Thanks for the notice. :3_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 8: Similar Friends, Different Intentions**

* * *

"Ready… Strike!"

"HA!"

THUNK

"Again!"

"HA!"

THUNK

"Again!"

"HA!"

THUNK

Under the peaceful morning sun, the air breezed past the heads of the hardworking teenagers locked in combat training. With targets lined up before each student, the repetitive swings made for a synchronized beating of wood that sounded the class's usual practice. First was training with maintaining a combat stance, followed by moves using the stances, ending with the repetition of hitting strawmen dummies.

"Alright, you lot, take a break. Next group, you're up!" Meld's orders had the students shuffling around before they began again.

For the melee training, this was the norm. On the other side of the training field, others were also hard at work.

"On my signal, ready… Go!"

_"""… As I command thee…"""_

_"Fire Ball!" "Wind Blade!" "Water Ball!"_

FOOSH SLINK SPLOOSH

"Impressive, Apostles-sama. But most of you still need to practice your aim."

Straw littered the impact zones as water and wind scattered their targets or ripped them to shreds. Ashes remained for the poor dummies to be targeted by flames. A handful were saved from the carnage but only barely as a second attempt and sometimes third struck true soon enough. Under the care of the Court Mage, Break, they continued to train their magic skills.

"HAAA—!" DANG "—NGUOH?!"

WOOSH—CHING "Kuh!"

_"Transmute!"_

But a select few weren't having the usual practice. It wasn't that they were avoiding the basic training. In fact, others might say what they were doing was practically more grueling.

"HOW ABOUT THIS—UWAH!"

"Announcing an attack ruins your chance at surprise! Less mouth, more hustle, Jugo!"

WOOS—KATHANG

"Even sneak attacks are useless if you go for the obvious, Kousuke. Try thinking outside the box."

"_Trans_—Woah!"

"Hajime! You left yourself wide open!"

From their side of the training grounds, Kentarou watched as Eichirou tripped Jugo, intercepted Kousuke's stab, and knocked back Hajime in rapid succession. Despite it being three versus one, the lithe young man was gracefully avoiding their attacks.

"Amazing…" was Kentarou's only comment as his two old friends and one new one were held back by the skills of his fellow teenager.

_"Transmute!"_

A wall was brought up between Hajime and Eichirou. With the earth pillars and walls randomly placed in the field made by Kentarou at Eichirou's request, Hajime now had a barrier hiding him from the solo spear fighter.

Unlike the earthen walls made by Kentarou, Hajime's were built through a skill and not a spell, hence the quick creation without the use of a magic circle. But from Kentarou's view of the battlefield, he saw Hajime breathing hard after summoning the makeshift barrier.

His magic was recorded as the lowest of the Apostles, or so Meld-san said. But it didn't seem to be much of a hindrance as Hajime just drunk a potion and started moving again.

"Good, you know when to back off. If you plan on just hiding behind the rock, though, it's gonna be a waste of time." Eichirou's spear aimed towards Jugo as soon as Hajime was out of his line of sight. "Jugo, stop waiting at the side. Come at me!"

The old-man faced teenager gritted his teeth with a smile and charged yelling. Shield raised high, the boy aimed for a bash to knock Eichirou's spear aside. He may have planned to disarm him, but Kentarou could tell it was done way too obviously and early.

"HAAA—What the—?!"

As soon as Jugo got to the spearhead, Eichirou pulled his weapon back and jumped. He kicked off of the raised shield and landed right behind the heavily armored soldier. Being weighed down by so much gear, Jugo couldn't react in time to the butt of the spear rushing towards his head.

"Jugo, duck!"

The boy squatted in place and ended up rolling forward with his momentum. The shouter, however, jumped in to intercept the wooden shaft with a cross-guard of his twin daggers.

"Not bad, Kousuke," Eichirou casually complimented while the normally silent boy struggled under the weight of the weapon. Until now, Eichirou barely even lost a sweat. His glasses were just as dry. "But if you'd instead gone for the offensive while Jugo rolled away, you wouldn't be pinned down here."

"Kuh!" Kousuke grit his teeth as Eichirou gently leaned down on his weapon's shaft. The lever effect as well as the spear's hard wood made it feel heavier on the boy's crossed daggers.

"Agility is your strongpoint. As an Assassin, stealth is your ally. But you're being too obvious. It offsets those advantages."

"Kuho!"

Kentarou saw Eichirou release the weight on his spear and thrust it at Kousuke. Caught off guard by the quick jab, he tossed his daggers forward to intercept only for the thrust to be a feint and cause him to overcorrect. He saw and blocked the roundhouse kick too late. His upper half was pushed back, sending him careening and tripping on the back of the still-downed Jugo, much to the larger boy's dismay.

"Jugo, vanguards shouldn't stay low for too long. The backline is vulnerable and no one is going to keep them from the melee if you stay down—"

_"Transmute!"_

A sudden rock spike flew out of the ground behind Eichirou, forcing him to jump out of the way. But as soon as he was airborne, another stone spire jutting out of the initial one shot out at his hand, knocking away the spear. Landing weaponless, Eichirou was open.

"HAAA!"

At that moment, Hajime, who had been lying in wait behind a few other previously built walls, jumped out with sword in hand, ready to strike.

"I got—Eh?! AH! UWOAH—Guho!"

However, Eichirou simply grabbed the boy's wrist, tripped him forward, grabbed his collar, and used his momentum to bring Hajime down with a one arm shoulder throw. Disarmed on the floor, Hajime could only groan as

"Ippon."

Eichirou smiled as he held Hajime's sword over his neck. The metal was dulled to the point that it was just hard and not sharp, but the sight of him so casually using the weapon to pin the boy by the throat was enough to send a chill down Kentarou's spine.

"I guess we should take a break." Lending Hajime a hand, he helped the boy up before strolling over to the two who still lied flat on their backs. "How are you guys doing?"

"Agh… I've been better."

"…"

Jugo lightly gave a thumbs up. Kousuke, on the other hand, silently gave Eichirou the finger. Had this been a month before, Kentarou would have been surprised. But seeing as Kousuke was beginning to be more expressive since befriending Eichirou, this was probably the norm between them now.

"Ayako, could you please patch these two up?" the girl could only nod as Yoshino applauded the end of the bout. "Seriously, though. Why did you two drop out faster than Hajime who has the weakest of stats?"

Kentarou shook his head alongside the sighing Ayako ash she stepped in for her turn healing their bruises. Hajime, on the other hand, shyly scratching the back of his head as he chuckled along with Eichirou.

"That's because you're too good, Eichin." To be fair, he had been moving with such ease that Kentarou actually believed him to be a natural fighter. "Did you learn martial arts back home?"

"My siblings got interested to learn some judo and aikido while we were abroad. My dad's idea of getting to know Japanese culture." Eichirou shrugged. "Why it couldn't be food, anime, or historical stuff, I'll never know, but as my kid brother was pretty much guaranteed to hurt himself, I got pulled along for the lessons."

"Self-defense classes with your siblings? That's pretty cool!" Ayako's side comment rubbed Kentarou in the wrong way for a bit, but he soon shrugged it off. "I never took you for the caring older brother type."

"Yeah, well, it was supposed to be fun… until we got to know the instructor." The nostalgic smirk he wore meant he was enjoying an inside joke. "The instructor was far from Asian and always did normal greetings in an exaggerated way."

"Exaggerated?" Hajime asked.

"He was German but had a strange obsession with Japanese culture."

"Ah," Hajime's expression was that of awkward embarrassment, or maybe sympathy? Kentarou wasn't sure.

"Meeting weeaboos is always humiliating. More so when they keep saying they're envious of my being born Japanese. I am technically an outsider who has never lived in Japan ever since I was a toddler after all."

Eichirou's sigh was deep and heavy. Kentarou couldn't fathom just how embarrassing it actually was. He'd seen those types of tourists before. Rude and rowdy, and kind of weird, but that was just it. He never involved himself with one or had to, thankfully.

"Anyhow, the lessons were useful, in a way. After a while, it wasn't just judo and aikido. While we traveled, I picked up taekwondo, kickboxing and a few others. Just the basics, of course."

That explained a lot. He had been fighting them for nearly an hour now and still didn't seem fazed. Only taking a break to request Kentarou to put up new walls or randomly destroy the ones already in place.

"Still, that doesn't excuse you two for being unable to keep up with Hajime."

True. It didn't. All of them, even the guards had higher stats than Hajime. Kentarou just didn't mention it for fear of offending the guy. Even he could hardly call himself a good guy after all that grief he and the rest of the class mistakenly gave Nagumo.

After a quick introduction by Eichirou just after the poisoning incident, as well as an embarrassing explanation of how Hajime wasn't at fault for all the attention he got from Shirasaki, Jugo and Kentarou were pretty much okay with the guy. In fact, after they observed him and got along inn under several days, they realized he was actually a pretty swell guy.

The only thing that irked them was the constant worry their angel just couldn't help but shower the poor boy.

It was a shame they couldn't have dropped the prejudice earlier though. Despite what Ryutarou or Kouki said, Hajime wasn't lacking in terms of effort. He just didn't like showing it. In that aspect, he was humbler and more likable when you got to know him.

"Hachin's been training with you for over a week now. Whatever you two have been doing is different compared to Meld-san's teachings."

"Kousuke told me. That's why he requested I come and join in. See if I could provide something more."

And wasn't that a total bummer. In Kentarou's opinion, Eichirou's training method was more unorthodox. Instead of drills, he decided on a melee, lumped them all into a team, asked Kentarou to create a 'fighting field', and despite the numerical advantage and haphazard environment good for ambushes and sneak attacks, he still proceeded to kick their ass over and over.

"If that something more included bruises and bumps, well you got it in spades." Ayako muttered under her breath as she prepared another healing spell. "At least I get to practice being a Priest."

"We can always train in magic skills, if you'd like."

The way he smiled and how he said it while looking over Kentarou, Ayako, and Mao sent them all slowly taking their distance.

"I'd rather live."

"I agree with him on this one."

"Eheh, sorry, Yamamoto-kun."

The silent agreement between the three was all because of their witnessing of Eichirou's true potential with magic. During their first magic lesson, he had pretty much blown the socks off the Court Mage, who was still begging to become the boy's student. It got worse after the poisoning. All because he was able to cure what they all had given up on.

Even the Church's priests looked at him strangely.

Sure, it was impressive and all, but all three by now had agreed his magic was overpowered even by their current standards as the Hero's companions. If he would train them, that was great news. But the drain on using magic too extensively was something none of the classmates could quite endure. Nor did they want to.

It was mentally tiring. Just casting ten spells or so in a row was enough to sap them of all energy. Break had explained it as the mind trying too hard to function normally after being forced to channel so much magic into a circle. They only understood it after Ayako paraphrased it as a braining functioning like a computer, not being allowed to rest after processing too much and overheating due to the stress.

Such a strain was capable of knocking someone unconscious for several days, maybe a week, if they overdid it. There were already rumors amongst the instructors that the overusing of magic could lead to physical damage as well as mental one. Ai-chan-sensei, having overheard this, warned everyone to take it easy when it came to magic.

So naturally, they avoided overdoing it. None of them wanted to lose their consciousness, or worse their minds, after all. But seeing Eichirou take physical training in such an unconventional manner, the circle of friends all feared what hell would await them if they opted for Yamamoto's Magic Class. Taking his advice or suggestions was the most they did.

The only one currently capable of keeping up was of course Hajime who was now downing several magic potions at once while sipping on some water. The potions were helpful, sure. But they did nothing to alleviate the mental stress of using magic. The mind worked more like an engine with mana as a fuel. Putting in more mana just allowed the engine to run for longer periods of time, not cool it down. But maybe it explained how Hajime was able to get so good despite having weak stats.

It was certainly proof enough that he was exerting a lot of effort into his training, if not more than the others, by enduring the pain.

"Yamamoto-sama?"

"Ara, if it isn't Tear-sama and Ruina-sama. Good day to you both."

Looking over his shoulder, Kentarou and the rest of the teenagers saw who Eichirou was giving a generous bow. The elder sorceress that supervised their magic training and also one of the Kingdom of Heiligh's best mages. Accompanying her was the younger colleague, several scrolls and books in hand and seemingly about to fall over if not for Tear's gentle grasp on her shoulder.

"Ruina-sensei, do you need help with that?"

"Sensei is going to keel over soon. Please let me help you with that!"

"Eh?! Eh?! Wai—!"

Quickly responding to the sight, Mao and Ayako moved to assist the younger instructor before she could even deny them. Having seen how she carried herself, Kentarou didn't argue that she needed more help than the average person. In reality, he hoped they would move faster. One can only watch another person accidentally trip and ruin books, scrolls, records, equipment, and so on so many times before you develop the habit of keeping her as far away from those things as possible.

She wasn't stupid, just a klutz. They didn't mean any disrespect. They just wanted to avoid her causing an accident or something similarly self-destructive again.

"Seems like my former student is well-loved by her own." Tear-san, rarely revealing her emotions, nodded approvingly as the two girls relieved the flustered magic instructor. "Yamamoto-sama, I come with the same request as usual."

"Ugh," sighing tiredly, Eichirou ruffled the back of his head while making a frustrated face. "He's so persistent. Did he even finish the homework I gave him?"

"Break-sama hasn't made a single breakthrough as of late." Tear blankly stated while nodding apologetically. "He still insists to have you explain it to him once more in clearer detail."

"Even after giving him the answer, just how spoiled can that old coot be?"

"Uh, Eichin," Kentarou, clueless as the rest, decided to ask. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, right. I haven't told anyone yet." Clearing his throat, he then explained. "Senec-sama has been pestering me on how I've managed to clear the pleap fruit poison from all the victims last week."

"Oh yeah, how did you do that?" Ayako, a concerned Priest that she was also wanted to know.

"I used magic to locate the poisonous chemicals within the body then have it react so that it expelled it as naturally as it could via sweating, vomiting, tears, sometimes urine. I had to neutralize the poison first otherwise the body would just deliver it through the bloodstream while reabsorbing it. I also had to delay the flow so the body could naturally convert the residual chemicals to non-lethal doses but all in all, the use of the circle simplified all of those things."

"""…"""

"Smaller words, Eichirou-kun. Smaller words."

The silence he got was more than enough of an indication that they didn't get it. Hajime speaking for them was a sign he did. Probably. Kentarou couldn't tell. He was still trying to wrap his head around the heavy words delivered in casual succession.

"Ah, right. Sorry. Long story, short: Magic finds poison, makes it harmless, lets human puke, spit, vomit, cry, etc., it out until no more poison. Easy-peasy."

So he says, but all the class had ever done was raise stone walls, shoot balls of fire and water, create flying wind blades, heal wounds, and create transparent barriers. All without knowing the _how_. The complexity of spells was beyond the simple teenagers. One or two had likened the magic circles to equations or something, but they just left it at that and simply repeated the casting and chant without ever going into the specifics.

During one of their magic lectures, the Court Mage wanted to try have them make their own unique magic circles, but after a few shoddy attempts, they could only default back to the already existing ones. Those who had aptitudes just stuck with magic circles engraved on their equipment. Yoshino Mao's pendant was one for invoking offense-type elemental magic. Kentarou's rod had earth-based ones in the magic stone at its tip.

"Seems… … complicated," was one of their responses.

"Not really. It's just like a step-by-step curry recipe."

Eichirou's likening of food to spells raised a couple of eyebrows and had Hajime stifling a chuckle. Theirs were for more in how unassuming he took the intricacies of making magic. The ones from the instructors were mostly about what curry really was.

"But even after I gave him all the answers and methods, Senec-sama still insists that I help him recreate it."

They then had to listen about his woes about how Break nearly attempted to poison himself to get Eichirou to repeat it and how the old man was then put on house arrest until he calmed down, agreeing to an arrangement where Eichirou was the teacher and the old man the student until he could understand it all.

"Once again, I am truly regretful to have let it come to this."

"It's not your fault, Tear-sama." Eichirou waved off the older woman's deep bow alongside her junior who had been watching the explanation from start to finish in awe. "In any case, I'll have to give him another lecture today—ah, crap."

"What's up?" Getting up with a hand on his aching back, Kousuke joined the conversation.

"I forgot I promised I'd meet with Eliheid today as well." Hearing that he was casually meeting with the king was nothing surprising anymore. Not after hearing what they were calling him nowadays. "I guess I'll have to keep the explanation brief."

"Not to worry, Yamamoto-sama!" Ruina, randomly raising her voice ang enthusiastically raising her hand, popped in. "Let me transcribe for you today. I'll make sure Senec-sama at least has a written copy of your lectures to reference while you go meet with His Highness."

"Then, I shall take you up on that offer."

"In exchange, please let me listen in!"

Everyone's eyes twitched at the obvious slip. How exactly would she be able to transcribe something she didn't hear for herself, they wondered. But Eichirou took it in stride and simply nodded with his trademark smile.

"I would be delighted to have you join us, Ruina-sama."

"Oh, please. Ruina is fine."

"Eh?" the trademark shook a little.

"No need to address me so formally, Yamamoto-sama. Being the teacher to my senior, as well as allowing me to listen to your lectures, you're practically my senior in magic already. Please drop all formality and just call me Ruina."

"But Ruina-sama—?"

"Yamamoto-sama, please?!"

"… Uh, fine… Ruina… san?"

Faced with the woman's boundless energy and persistent stare, Eichirou was made to compromise. However, it didn't stop the girl from beaming with the same energy you'd expect from a kouhai at a club. Before Eichirou could even change his mind and revert back to -sama, she left, off to prepare materials for the upcoming lecture.

"I'll see you later then, Yamamoto-sensei—Fugah!"

Recovering from her tripping on her own robes, the young woman bowed, embarrassed, and resumed her mad dash to the lecture room.

"Eichirou," first to break the silence, Ayako leaned towards the boy, scrolls in hand. "Don't even think about going after Ruina-sensei."

"… … … Ha?!"

"Well, Eichin's a natural. Liliana-sama was powerless before him in the first day after all." Kentarou couldn't help but give the guy his two cents. "I'm surprised it took him a few weeks before he baited a full-grown adult."

"Wai—Oy! What the hell, man?! Stop misunderstanding—!"

"Natural… playboy?" Mao took a step away from him, keeping Ruina's books that she carried raised in his direction like a makeshift barrier.

"How the hell did you get to that—?!"

"Yamamoto-sama," even Tear decided to speak up. "As an instructor, I suggest you keep your relationships with the students on a professional level. We don't want any incidents erupting from your… tryst. More so when the involved parties include her Highness and one of my most hardworking, if a bit clumsy, apprentice."

She was joking, of course. The rare smirk she had on was all the sign they needed. Despite this, they all enjoyed a laugh at Eichirou's expense.

* * *

"Here should be good."

After getting a breather, Hajime took up position once more on the field. Unlike the others who sat back down to rest, Hajime decided to train by himself. Raising his weapon of choice, the short sword from before, he tried giving it a few swings before reversing his grip and lowering his stance. Repeating the process again, he breathed deep and relaxed for a second to pace himself.

Glancing over to the group, he spied on his new ever-growing circle of friends.

Initially, he had been reserved about getting close to anyone even after entering Tortus. He was weak, that fact was obvious. But after recognizing it was so, he felt bad on having to rely on others. The only reason he did with Eichirou was that the guy didn't force the issue.

Rather, it was Eichirou who asked _him_ for help in studying magic.

It was odd. Eichirou asked him for help but as soon as they started working out the kinks and basics, the guy turned his focus on improving Hajime's skills and magic. He said it was to see if they could improve upon their findings as well as to thank him. But in Hajime's opinion, the repayment was given back in spades.

How so? From being able to turn a fork into a sharp, brittle rod to this.

_"Transmute."_

With a hand to one of the standing earth pillars made by Nomura-kun, Hajime imagined a rough and chunky outline. Repeating the spell, the chunk was carved smaller and smaller. After several attempts, he had turned the upper half of the stone pillar into a stone sword. He tried for a single tug to snap the tip off the base.

CRACK

"Ah, shoot. Overdid it. Or maybe the stone was too brittle?"

The blade had partially snapped as well, leaving the stone sword shorter by half its blade's original length. Transmuting it again, the blunt section where it snapped was carved once more. Now it was a stone dagger just short a few centimeters compared to his short sword. Using a little trick of transmuting thin lines within the stone, he added a few details to the hilt to carve out a pommel, chip in a grip, and finish the guard. Afterwards, he then checked the sharpness of the edge.

Satisfied with his work, it was now indistinguishable from an actual dagger, minus the material used. It was probably comparable to Stone Age weapons if they just kept on improving their tools and never moved on to using bronze. Slightly heavier than his dull training sword, but that was most likely due to being made exclusively from stone.

This was but one of the new things he was now capable of because he got to know Eichirou. Precise control using his Transmutation skill to manipulate not only minerals but any material from the earth itself. It didn't work on the same scale as earth magic, but it had better perks. For one, all he needed was mana and material. No fancy circles. No chants. Just an image of what shape he wanted and calling out the skill.

Bada-Bing. Bada-Boom. He was now able to create spare weapons from rock and stone. Once they upped his training, he'll probably be able to do the same for metal. It wasn't just weapons either. He could now make traps, pitfalls, and sinkholes with the skill. Seems boring and dull and maybe a bit underhanded, but Eichirou beat him to the punch by telling him one statement after one of their training sessions.

_"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. There is value in all things. If there isn't, give it one to suit your needs."_

Hajime was weak.

That was a fact. Given that, these new unconventional applications of his class were, even if he liked them or not, improvements compared to his previous role in combat. Had he fought with the previous mindset, he would just be a parasite to his fellows. But with this, he had actual purpose.

He wasn't a Hero. Kouki was living proof. He wasn't a ninja assassin, or a chivalrous knight, or a hard-hitting brawler, or even a powerful magician. He was just Hajime. And just Hajime needed to find his own way. His friend suggested this one. Why would it not be a path worth exploring?

_"You may not like it now, but it's better than being helpless, no?"_

In every sense of the word, Hajime was grateful to Eichirou for his help. He didn't dismiss him as useless unlike the rest of the class. He had seen and appreciated, even supported, Hajime's efforts to quietly improve himself. And all of it was done out of gratitude for helping him with magic research.

Just for Eichirou's trying, Hajime felt that he needed to return the favor tenfold. Not that he expected anything in return. It was more because Eichirou was the first person to ever acknowledge him for who he was. Besides his parents of course.

A friend was a friend. And he would do his best to repay the debt.

However, as for Eichirou's side, progress was slow. A snail's pace. Magic research into creating an interdimensional portal home was practically nil as they have yet to find any magic related to space, and if Eichirou's most pessimistic theories were right, they needed to get the concept of time as well. Otherwise, they might get back to Earth but end up sometime in the future beyond their original lifetimes. Worst case, they hop to the past and need to stay in hiding until the summoning incident, trying to lay low else the present be undone by their recklessness.

It may be because they both read too many sci-fi novels and manga but the possibility still stands. Get it right, they are free from war and may be able to get some help from the government or military. Get it wrong and they could end up as time-travelers or interdimensional wanderers.

Oh how Hajime's parents would be thrilled at the prospect of creating a story or game for this premise! "That Time My Son Hopped Across Dimensions and Time to Get Home!" was a generic light novel title yet to be coined. Or was it? Anyways, delays.

Hajime sighed as he put away the stone dagger. Pulling out a small slip of paper, he reviewed the shape of the ink and committed it to memory before returning to his training-contemplation.

The delay was attributed more on their limited information and what resources they had rather than the inability to get things done. An example to their progress in magic research was the discovery of transmuting magic circles instead of writing them down. The second thing he was able to do thanks to Eichirou's assistance.

Sure, the idea came from an alchemy-themed anime they both had the pleasure of watching on Earth. But the idea itself wasn't bad. It was practical in saving time and paper. Also, it only needed a small amount of mana to trace for the simplest circles. Eichirou actually called it revolutionary as the idea didn't seem to catch on with the denizens of Tortus. If it had, there wouldn't be such a prejudice against the Synergist class.

If the king's court was anything to go by, they might want to hire more Synergists to assist magicians in their craft.

Putting a hand to the ground, Hajime thought back to one of the first spells he had tried to use. Back then, he didn't have enough mana or aptitude to invoke the standard circle.

_"Transmute."_

Now though, with a modified version of the circle tailored specifically for _him_, intricately carved into the ground via _his_ skill, Hajime was confident he could cast the spell no matter how many times. Well, not really, but it worked better than what the textbooks gave him.

_"Light up the path of your children. Guide their way through the darkness. Shine, as I—."_

"Oy, oy, oy! What do we have here?!" He stopped his chanting and slowly got up, coming face to face with someone he really didn't want to see, like, at all. If he could choose, maybe never. "Don't tell me you're practicing magic, are you Nagumo?"

"Ah, good day to you too, Hiyama-kun."

It wasn't just Hiyama. Of course, the big man couldn't be left alone without his three other cheerleading squad/backup dancers/ego boosters. From the distance, Eichirou had crossed his arms and was watching it all unfold. He wasn't just observing, Hajime noted. He was _waiting_ for a chance to come barging in.

Given the current scenario, it would be weird for him to suddenly popup behind the Bastard Four. He needed to have a legitimate reason to intervene. But maybe he didn't have to. Not this time, at least.

"Oy! I'm talking to you, Nagumo. Answer the question. Or is your poor stats also affecting your hearing?"

"Just getting some training done before I take magic lectures."

The sneer the other three made was too cliché. Like a cheap bit from one of his mom's shoujo manga where the Prince's bishoujo fiancé begins to mock and harass the plain heroine just because she caught the ikemen Prince's attention.

A really unmanly comparison, certainly. Hajime wasn't waiting for a Prince on a white stallion to come riding into his rescue. Dear god. If Shirasaki-san did it, forget being a man, Hajime would lose all self-confidence in calling himself a boy.

But if Eichirou did it… … … It would probably funny as hell.

Granted, not really manly having a friend ride into the rescue, but Hajime had to give the guy credit. Eichirou was a great performer. More than several times, he reenacted a few of his sibling's favorite anime characters during their breaks from research. They had nothing much in common other than their interests in magic and after a bit of small talk, they got to that and just took off.

The guy was a natural. From a teenager to a shell-backed old man to a black-masked rebel leader to a young determined ninja. He even did female characters legit. Turns out, he was a fan of Sumire of the South's shoujo manga as well. Hajime was speechless to meet a fan of his mom's manga, to be sure. He didn't expect one to be in the class, let alone the transfer student that was always abroad. But apparently, having eccentric grandparents throw whatever game, manga, or anime they could find at their grandkids was the deciding factor.

Hajime couldn't thank them in his prayers enough for the unintentional red string of fate that led him to the dude becoming his pal.

On another note, Eichirou may have acted embarrassed at first, but Hajime could tell. Eichirou was a natural thespian to be able to reenact his mother's most popular series, which many readers demanded to have continue on till the anime series gets hyped.

Had he come riding in to save 'the princess', he would thoroughly embarrass 'the villainess'. So much so, they might actually just drop it before an incident took place. All the while, he would be rocking that 'princely persona' and with roses in the background, he would speak _'are you alright, himesama?'_

.

.

.

"Pffft~…" The thought was enough to cause Hajime to snicker.

"What's so funny, Nagumo?"

Ah, the Bastards were glaring. Hajime thought he may have been having too much fun with his new friend that he forgot all about these assholes.

"Ah, my bad. I was just thinking of something else. I forgot you were still here. Sorry about that, Hiyama-kun."

The guy was seething. More so than Hajime ever thought he would be. And for once, Hajime felt good making him angry. Soon enough though, the anger softened, replaced by a sick and twisted smile that subtly said he wanted to kick something around, preferably the boy that stood calmly before him.

"Well, doesn't really matter. Hey, since your practicing magic, how about we help you with that?"

"Yeah."

"It'll be fun."

'For you, maybe.' Hajime noted that it was not a suggestion. If the arrogant looks they wore was anything to go by, they wanted to beat Hajime down. Had this been a month before, Hajime may have wanted to hide in a hole until they forgot about him.

They were better than Hajime. Or so, that was how they saw themselves.

But it was more out of envy. Mainly for the attention he got from Shirasaki-san. That much was clear to Hajime. How they went about it, the bullying, teasing, etc., was the wrong way method. Because every time they did something against him and Hajime ended up losing sleep for it or got exhausted from thinking, Shirasaki-san just became more concerned, showering him with even more attention.

A ridiculously stupid self-destructive cycle, as Eichirou-kun put it himself while they talked.

It would have been avoided if Hajime stood up for himself and won, or if he convinced Shirasaki-san to lay off, or if he just sucked all the exhaustion in and acted fine from the beginning. But it was also obvious that Hajime couldn't do all that.

He was _too nice_. Eichirou commented on it as such, but unable to refute him, Hajime merely shrugged and laughed it off.

The first was too difficult. Try and he was guaranteed a beating. If he was lucky, he would die. If he didn't, the cycle would then repeat itself with Shirasaki not leaving him alone ever and he would be forever showered in her accursed presence.

For the second, he didn't wish to turn away Shirasaki lest he face the untold wrath of the rest of the school's population. Even in Tortus, he would still be ostracized by the whole class. Not including Eichirou or Ai-chan-sensei, but still, way too bad to have the animosity of his overpowered classmates. Maybe it would have lasted a short while or so, but the intensity of the bullying could oh so possibly escalate or go on for longer.

The last one was too difficult. Faking it was hard when you were too tired to fake it. Not to mention, his acting skills were way beyond deplorable.

But now, he really should do something about it.

Faking fatigue was a no go. He had been too excited about all the magic and research they'd been doing to even try to sleep and rest properly. Refusing Shirasaki-san's help would be easier here but it didn't guarantee she would stop at all. She was a persistent one after all.

But now? After all the effort Eichirou had put in to give Hajime confidence? After all the hard work and headaches he had to endure to improve his stats and skill, there was one other solution. A more direct one. His expression caught them off guard but only for a second until he replied.

"Sure. Why not?"

For Hajime, it was the first time his smile was void of all politeness. But to Hiyama and the four, it was just another day of him accepting his inferiority to them.

Oh just how wrong they were.

* * *

As soon as the Hero saw his target separate from the others to stand alone and watch the training field, Kouki made his move. Shizuku might've inserted another homo joke there, but he just wanted to speak with the boy one-on-one. As this was the first time he was alone and free, this was the prime opportunity Kouki had been waiting for.

"Yamamoto."

"What can I help you with, Amanogawa?"

The guy didn't even bother facing the Hero as he stared at the grounds with crossed arms. The fact that he wasn't being ignored this time was a good sign. Kouki had tried approaching him multiple times over the week ever since the incident but it was only now that Yamamoto wasn't too busy or tired.

Only a handful of the casualties were left staying in the palace for their recovery and rehabilitation. Mostly children. Yamamoto did the responsible thing and had been monitoring their condition over the course of the week. With the number of rehab patients slowly dwindling, it freed the boy up somewhat. This opportunity he took to train was a result of that. And now, Kouki could try to convince him.

Kouki had been trying. He really did. But somehow, Yamamoto was always preoccupied. Be it lectures with the elderly Court Mage, research in the library, a meeting with the Royal Family members, or even the poisoned victims. He was always unavailable. At night, he went to bed early. Admirable lifestyle, being early to bed and an early riser to boot, but it kinda hampered Kouki's opportunities.

At least now though, he acknowledged being addressed. Not even giving Kouki a glance was somewhat irritating, but it would do.

"Good morning, Yamamoto."

"How are you today, Yamamoto-kun?"

When he turned to face the other two who followed after him, however, the irritation flared into somewhat of an annoyance that made Kouki's eye twitch.

"Ara, good morning to you two as well, Yaegashi-kun, Shirasaki-kun." He smiled politely and gave them a nod before looking back to the field. "A bit tired from running around but fine. How's training?"

"Meld-san's been helping us improve." Kouki answered that one. Unaware that it wasn't he who was being addressed, he replied in their steed, nonetheless. "We've been consistently honing our skills for the past two weeks and preparing ourselves for the fight."

'Unlike you and a certain someone' was a phrase left unsaid but his eyes conveyed it. Behind him, Shizuku facepalmed while Kaori smiled apologetically.

"Have you now…" The bored reply caused Kouki's eye to twitch again. "Well, good for you then."

He didn't even bother continuing the topic. Only gazing to the field and even smiling a bit at whatever he saw. Kaori and Shizuku followed his gaze and were surprised at the sight. Kouki, however, remained steadfast and kept his gaze on Yamamoto.

"Yamamoto, can we talk for a bit."

"You're doing it right now, aren't you?"

While the reply wasn't meant to be offensive, Kouki felt like he was still being ignored. The boy's expression was shifting between intrigued, proud, curious, and surprised. But none of that emotion was directed to Kouki or anyone else. Rather, he kept it pointed at the middle of the training ground. Coincidentally, almost everyone had now directed their attention to the fight.

The only exception was the stalwart Hero.

"I'm being serious here." Kouki breathed deep to calm himself and spoke clearly. "Yamamoto, would you consider helping us in the war against the demons?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"… Hm? I'm sorry. Come again?"

Kouki had never felt the need to get mad before. Nor did he ever wish to cause harm to another human being. But somehow, somewhere in his heart, he felt the need to give the guy before him a stern glare. And maybe a punch to the gut.

Not yet though. It was unbecoming of a Hero to lose his cool.

"Yamamoto—"

"Amanogawa, can I ask you a question before I answer yours?"

"Eh?" It wasn't polite to answer a question with another question. But wasn't it alright to ask for permission before doing so? It was a dilemma for Kouki, sure. But his desire to get it over and done with overruled the basic etiquette. "What is it?"

"Why is it that you insist on forcing me to fight in a war?" Without taking his eyes away from the field, Yamamoto's smile caused Kouki to eye him with confusion. "You do remember that I said I didn't want a part in it, no?"

That much was obvious. Kouki grit his teeth at that, but he couldn't back down now.

"I know what you said. And though it pains me to force you into anything, I must ask you to reconsider that decision."

"Why?"

"Eh?" the blatant and bored response was off-putting in more ways than one.

"Like I said, why should I reconsider?"

For the first time since their conversation began, Yamamoto Eichirou stared Amanogawa Kouki in the eye. His violet eyes were piercing from behind his thick glasses. Despite them covering half his face, the specs didn't seem to hinder the penetrating gaze.

"Why should I, someone who was dragged into this world without my say, be made to join a fight I have no stake in and risk losing my own life?"

The answer was obvious. He shouldn't.

But after witnessing the good he was capable of, and the help he could provide them with, it wasn't just for Kouki's sake that he needed Yamamoto's cooperation.

Being able to heal others was a good thing. Being able to heal an ailment that the Church itself couldn't was even better. Seeing justice through to save the innocents wrongly accused while maintaining a calm Kouki could not yet emulate was the objective the Hero strived for.

Yamamoto did all of those things and yet stood back from the fight to save humanity. How could Kouki, a believer of justice and an ally to all that is right, let that pass?

"You must take responsibility for your own capabilities." Kouki didn't notice it but Eichirou's eyes winced at the line before sighing. "You can heal people. You can save others. You should use that power you have to protect and save the innocent from evil."

The Hero remained standing tall and voiced his opinion.

"Someone with the power should use it for the good of others."

'How's that? Does it convince you?' was Kouki's internal line of thought. It was a fact that those in power had the responsibility of caring for those beneath them. It was one of the things that the all-talented, genius and popular Amanogawa Kouki had tried to keep true. Despite his talents and skills, he didn't wish to lord over everyone from his pedestal. He just wished they would all share his viewpoint in doing the right thing.

"Haaah," a tired sigh escaped Yamamoto's lips. "'To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked' is it?"

"What's that?" the Hero, curious but confused as well, asked.

"It's the origin of the line 'with great power comes great responsibility', Amanogawa."

Yamamoto's honest expression was one thing. But the implication of him knowing those words spoke of how he was aware of such responsibilities born from power. The line itself was like the personification of Kouki's heroic ideals. Something that brought hope and an expectant smile to his face.

"Does that mean—?"

"No. I refuse."

The Hero's hope crash and burned just as soon as it took flight.

"I don't want to fight in a war. I don't want to risk my life. I may have the power and ability to save people, but there is no way I will use said power to take part in this world's conflict." Yamamoto shrugged dramatically as he spoke. "I understand the noblesse oblige you want me to conform to, however I am not so naïve as to do just that without thinking of the consequences."

"I thought you believed in a compassionate god?!"

"Anima's teachings are to be true to oneself and one's desires. To believe in what we will and choose to commit to our choices. That also includes accepting the consequences of our decision."

"Are you saying it's alright for the innocent to just suffer?!" Kouki couldn't believe his ears. Because of his disbelief, he unintentionally raised his voice, calling the attention of both Kaori and Shizuku. "Are you just going to turn your back on those who need your help?! How can you be so selfish—?!"

"That's enough, Kouki!" Shizuku pulled him back by the shoulder. Normally, her tug wouldn't do so much as nudge him back. But due to the training over the past few weeks, her body had become strong enough to turn him backwards to face her. "Stop forcing your beliefs on Yamamoto. You shouldn't be picking fights with a classmate. I'm really sorry about this, Yama—"

"I won't stand for this, Shizuku."

Pushing his friend aside, Kouki took a few steps forward and came a foot close to the boy who simply stared him down. Unafraid, Kouki maintained his gaze.

"You should be helping others. Helping us to save the innocent people of this world. They need us. Once they've been saved, we can go back home. Stop being arrogant and—"

"There's a lot of assumption in your words, Kouki." The use of his name was enough to stop his justice-based tirade. "Where you there to negotiate our safe return with the god of Tortus? No, you were not. By whose authority do you speak of that we will all go back? By what binding contract have you assured our safe passage home after fighting in their war? After _dying_ in their war?"

He didn't respond immediately. He couldn't. Yamamoto wasn't right. He couldn't be. What he said was against what Kouki believed to be true.

And yet, Kouki found it hard to entirely dismiss it.

There was no one there to guarantee their safe return. Ishtar-san only said they would go back as soon as they finished their duty. On Ishtar-san's word, he promised Ehito would reward them. There's no way Ishtar would lie to them… … … Is there?

Of course not! As a leader of their religion, Ishtar had a huge responsibility. Doing the right thing and not lying was par for the course as this world's pope.

"What do you mean 'dying'?" Kouki asked, bitterly. "There's no way I will let any of my comrades die on my watch!"

"Pffft~! 'On his watch' he says," the boy scoffed. "Then let me ask you this, Amanogawa Kouki. Where were you when your classmate was in dire need of help? What did you do to help when one of your 'comrades' was being bullied by your fellows?"

"What're you—?"

"Kouki!" Shizuku snapped him back. "Yamamoto-kun, please. That's enough."

Shockingly, it sounded as if Shizuku was defending Kouki, not stopping him. But blinded by the disagreeing boy his eyes locked onto, he failed to even notice his close friend worry.

"What's the matter, Yaegashi-kun? You don't want the issue addressed?" The surprised expression Yamamoto wore felt false. It looked like he was shocked but making a show of it. "And here I thought you were the most sensible of the class. Or maybe is it because you are unsure as how to give them the truth that they will accept or not do anything stupid after hearing it?"

He dropped the sarcasm in favor of a blunt and disappointed expression. One that caused Kouki to question why.

"Shizuku-chan, what's he talking about?"

Even Kaori was asking. Pinned between the questioning gaze of her two best friends, Yaegashi Shizuku grit her teeth. This sight of his friend struggling overrode Kouki's initial concern. Now, he only saw Yamamoto as the one to blame.

"Yamamoto, stop pinning this on Shizuku. You're discussion is—"

"With you, of course it is. You started this conversation with me and therefore all your problems are between me and you, not any other," Releasing his crossed arms, Yamamoto dramatically shrugged as if to convey his thought of 'why else wouldn't it be'. "Very well. Kouki, are you aware of Hiyama Daisuke's bullying of Nagumo Hajime?"

"Ha? What are you talking about?"

In all seriousness, Kouki didn't get what was being said. Hiyama bullying Hajime? Absurd! Weren't they just friends who got along so well? Everyone saw it that way. Therefore, shouldn't it be true? Why in the world would Yamamoto stop to think that Hiyama was a bad person who would drop so low as to hurt his fellow classmate?

"Well, judging by that 'confused' expression you're making, you had no idea. A pity. And I had such high hopes for the 'Hero from Another World."

Kouki's brow furrowed at thee sarcasm he could feel in those words. Never before had he sensed such negativity from another person before. At people directing their hate and anger at another but never one to himself. He had never been on any end of the hate stick before.

He had always stood for what he believed was right. Be it in kindergarten fights, a petty thief stealing because they were hungry, a stalker who was harassing their neighbor, or the taking advantage of his friend's kindness. He had always tried to fix things or at least get them to right themselves.

Breaking up the fights and getting both sides to get along, asking the stall owner to forgive the thief and lecturing them to work for it instead of stealing, getting the stalker to leave because they were a bother to others, he even went so far as to advise Nagumo to improve himself so that he didn't need to rely on Kaori's kindness.

Everything he did was the right thing. There was nothing wrong in his wanting to help or save someone. Even advising them to do the right thing was never wrong.

But before he could convey all this to Yamamoto, he was being ignored for his friends. Again.

"Shirasaki-kun, I want to ask you a question about Hajime. Is it alright?"

"Yamamoto—!" Shizuku was already up in arms and about to stop him.

"Shizuku-chan. Please." Well, she would have, if not for Kaori stepping forward with a determined look. A look Kouki had never seen his friend make before. "What is it you want to ask, Yamamoto-kun?"

"Are you aware that your presence has caused Nagumo much grief? That your very concern has been the cause for his problems and exhaustion for the past few weeks that I've seen you with him?"

The question was blunt and straight to the point, causing Kaori to stiffen up as soon as she heard it. And this was apparently all the response he needed.

"Hm. I see. Thank you for the answer."

Kaori didn't refute it. Nor did she react violently to it. Instead, her voice wavered.

"I… my concern was… I didn't… eh?"

She looked like she didn't get it. And neither did Kouki. He watched as one of his close friends lowered her head in contemplation. Another line Yamamoto crossed.

"Well, I hardly expected you would. You only had eyes for Nagumo after all."

She merely raised her hands and held them close to her chest as if to affirm it. A fact that was lost to Kouki. After all, he could never see the subtle hints behind anyone's actions. He only saw them for what he thought they were. In Kaori's case, he was of the firm belief that she was only doing it because she was a nice girl. He still did. And no one will ever change that view of his.

"What do they call it, ah right. 'Ignorance is bliss'."

As soon as Kouki noticed Kaori's tears, however, he didn't think he could stay calm.

"Oy, Yamamoto! Why are you making Kaori cry? She hasn't done anything to deserve—!"

"And you are the most ignorant of all, Amanogawa Kouki."

The interruption and accusation carried with it a cold and dismissive tone that caused Kouki to stop with a cold sweat. The eyes Yamamoto gave Kaori while he spoke were those of compassion and sadness.

The ones he gave Kouki had disappointment as well as disgust.

Those eyes were painful to look at. He had tried to never disappoint any one ever as he always did everything that was just. Hence, he had never received such a glare as heartrending as that. It was as if his own friends, family, even the deceased were looking at him, disappointed, through the glowing violet gems behind Yamamoto's glasses.

"Amanogawa, I'll ask again." The young man's tone sent a chill down Kouki's spine as it was whispered close to his face. "What did you do when Nagumo was bullied?"

"He wasn't being bullied." The statement left his lips even before he could check it was true. He firmly believed it was, but his reply was so automatic, he never really had to think about it. "Hiyama and the others are his friends."

"Then," Yamamoto pulled back, scoffing. "Is that what you call friendship?"

His hand, gesturing out to the field pointed out a scene which Kouki had unintentionally shut out in favor of focusing his attention to Yamamoto.

On the field, surrounded by Hiyama and his 'friends', Hajime was kneeling on the ground while trying to catch his breath. Circling him, the other four called out but didn't make any attempts to see if he needed help. They just stayed their distance and circled him. Watching. Waiting.

No sooner did Kouki glance that he saw Hajime pull up a wall around himself. Creating a makeshift bunker out of the ground using his Transmute skill, Hajime braced for it. He was soon bombarded with fire and wind magic from all sides.

"Wha—?!"

"Nagumo-kun?!"

"O-o-oy… What is—why—?!"

Shizuku was shocked. Kaori was panicked. Kouki, however, just watched and stared. Unable to process what he was seeing, he tried to come up with an explanation.

'Where were they? The training field! Of course!'

'What were they doing? Training! Of course!'

'Was there anything wrong with training? None! Nothing wrong at all!'

'Why were they training this way? Because helping friends was the right thing to do!'

"If you still call that one-sided exchange as training with friends, then," Yamamoto's voice chilled him to the bone as he saw the eyes glare with fury at Hiyama's turned back. "You wouldn't mind if I and a few others assaulted Yaegashi or Shirasaki, or maybe even you, from all sides with spells while you hide in a hole as well, wouldn't you, Amanogawa?"

"O-of course not!" The answer left his lips before he could even think on it. "Hurting your friends is wrong! That is not a fair way to practice—"

"Then I guess you just letting this all happen to Nagumo is what the Hero himself considers 'a fair way to practice'. My, how the Hero has fallen, to allow injustice as a fair action."

Kouki wasn't wrong. He firmly believed that he wasn't. But those words, the sight he was seeing now, and that statement caused a conflict within him. Because if he admitted to not being wrong, then Yamamoto would take it as him admitting that his earlier example of either Shizuku or Kaori on the receiving end to be correct! But if he admitted to be wrong… It was against everything he stood for… of being correct.

"Nagumo-kun! Nagumo—!" Before Kouki could even respond, Kaori had rushed forward to try and break up the scuffle. But she didn't get far before someone grabbed her by the arm. "Let go of me, Yamamoto-kun! Nagumo-kun will get—"

"I've said it before, didn't I?" Kaori stopped as soon as she met his eyes. "Your concern for Nagumo has caused him only grief. You may have good intentions, but every time you baby him with your worry, you cause others to pity him as well. After doing it for so long and him never being able to fight for himself, they all started bullying him because of the attention you continued to shower him."

Kaori tried resisting, but her arms failed her as soon as he said it all.

"You are the reason why he gets the short end of the stick! Open your eyes and see the bigger picture! If you want to look at Nagumo, look at how your actions affect him as well, be it directly or otherwise."

"That's—"

"Enough, Yamamoto!" Shizuku, who had been remaining quiet for so long stepped forward. "Kaori, he's right. Let's leave this to him and Nagumo."

"Shizuku-chan? Why are you getting in the way? If we don't help now, Nagumo-kun could get hurt!"

She looked at her friend with disbelief. But as soon as Shizuku's grip tightened on Kaori's other arm, she knew she wouldn't find help there. Turning to Yamamoto with tear-stained eyes, she very nearly spat in his face.

"Why won't you help him then?! Aren't you his friend a well?"

"What was it that you all told him to do? To 'fix himself' and 'improve by his own effort'? All that, right?"

Kouki stiffened at the sound of his own advice. Seeing Nagumo's predicament now, he wanted to step in and protect him. But then that would be admitting he was wrong again. The thought of that being true was abhorrent and disgusting to his ideals of becoming a person of justice, someone who was always in the right.

"Don't look at me like that, Shirasaki-kun. Unlike you people, I truly do watch out for my friends. I didn't just give him advice. I helped him act on it."

The jab at Kouki was pretty obvious. So much so that he flinched and balled his fist.

"But I don't baby him like you do either. I prefer showing him how to do things and let him take it from there. Different from those who just tell him to do things they think is best and wash their hands of responsibility afterwards, _I do not_ _abandon_ _my friends_."

The glare he sent the Hero made the ikemen recoil slightly, his handsome features now marred by a dark and conflicted face.

For the first time ever in his life, Kouki felt doubt cloud his thoughts. He soon shook it away though, trying to lie… no… trying to believe himself to be correct.

But the doubt still remained in his heart. The question of whether he was absolutely right or only partially and must correct it. At this time, it didn't mean much of anything. But as a seed of doubt, it could only bloom.

For now though, it remained as a dark, poisonous seed that could potentially shatter his righteous viewpoint.

"Good. Now that you're calm, we can let him _properly_ face his own problems." Yamamoto turned to face the field as soon he released Kaori's arm. Smiling normally, after all the arguing with the trio, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Oy! Hajime! Are you done playing around yet?"

* * *

The cry from across the field turned more than several heads. It minorly distracted the four on the field, but before long, they ignored it and turned their attention back to the stubborn one hiding behind a stone shell. But the contents of said shell merely sighed and breathed in.

"Mou, he saw through me already? I should think of something else instead of hiding behind a bunker." Hajime spoke naturally as spell after spell rocked the top of his stone shelter. They didn't get through, the walls being so thick and all, but he could feel the vibrations somewhat. Just by touching. "Maybe I should dig under—nah, too difficult. I don't have that much mana yet either."

Initially, the fight began with Hiyama trying to push him back. After dodging his attempts, he noticed the other boys closing in from different angles. He dodged them all with ease as they tried to pick on him not with their training, but rather their raw strength.

Maybe it was arrogance, but they didn't even seem to recognize that Hajime would be able to dodge at all. After a while, they started using their weapons. In the two mages' case, they tried to trip or club him via their staves. Hiyama just kept pushing and kicking debris his way while a spear prodded him from the sides. It all got too exhausting as they started to get serious.

Hence why he had to retreat in this stone shell.

"This should be fine for those four."

With a hand checking for dust on the clean floor beneath him, Hajime reviewed the plan. Reminiscing the designs of one of Eichirou's custom circles he had shown Hajime previously, he exhaled and breathed deep once more.

Taking out a handkerchief, he tied it securely to his face. He pulled out several mana potions and drunk one now before chucking the empty bottle in his pants pocket. He then placed his other free hand on the floor. After a few seconds of calm and ignoring the thundering spells, he opened his eyes and imagined using his skill in the most effective way he could as of now.

_"TRANSMUTE!"_

* * *

The whole class was now watching. Even the Court Mage and Knight Commander stopped what they were doing to observe the one-sided fight. Once or twice, they tried to approach and break it up, but they stopped as soon as they met Eichirou's gaze.

A shaking of his head and a knowing smile. It was a message that said they shouldn't interfere. If it was a squabble among men, then it should be left up to them to settle the dispute. But as they were but children, Meld felt off about letting them do as they wish. Break was just bored at how roughly the four boys were continuously chucking magic at the stone target which, quite impressively, withstood each hit.

Granted, it had a few cracks and dents, but after a while those were restored. Meld assumed it was magic at work. If not, then maybe Hajime was doing something to repair it overtime as he endured the onslaught.

"Oy! Come out of your hidey hole, already!"

"What's the matter, Nagumo? Chicken?!"

The jeers and taunts was only received by solid stone. It made them look like idiots for taunting a hunk of rock before they chucked a few more spells at it. But the boy in question made no move to comply with their request.

Instead, they heard him shout.

_"TRANSMUTE!"_

Immediately, Meld noticed something off. The ground around the circle changed. Not by change in color or texture. But there were now lines being carved out into the earth with Hajime's shell as its center. Runes etched itself all around, causing the stone floor to spit out the dust and dirt all over until the image was complete.

"OHO! This is—!"

Break didn't even have to finish. Meld saw the magic circle and was appalled. Its complexity near the center was unbelievable, the scale was massive enough to encompass the large field, and the creation speed was astounding!

"So this is what a Synergist can do?!"

Had he known Synergists could be applied this way, he would have them trained by the Mages before being assigned to the Knight Order as mere blacksmiths and craftsmen. They could work well as emergency spellcasters if need be.

The question now was, 'could he activate such a massive circle?'

He knew Hajime was of the lowest caliber when it came to the Apostles' stats. Meld had the pleasure of embarrassing the boy on the first day, much to his regret. But as it was now, he had to have a lot of magic to activate such a grand magic circle. Even his opponents knew this as they juts jeered while staying inside the circle's perimeter.

"Oy, oy, oy! Nagumo, what the hell is this?"

"Some sort of party trick?!"

"Don't force yourself too much, man. You could end up hurting your—"

_"… … … Fly high, as I beseech thee, Gust!"_

The end of the chant and cry of the spell's name was all they heard until the circle launched a gust of wind into the air. All the dust and dirt that came as a result of the Transmute skill's etching into the floor caused a dust cloud to envelop the area.

"What the—?!"

"Damn you!"

"Fuck, I can't see!"

The four idiots who remained within range were enveloped as well and partially blinded by the shock as well as dust in their eyes. To them, they were caught with some cheap trick.

To Meld, it was a preemptive strike.

"Oy! Blow the wind away! We can't see him!"

"On it! _Head my cry as I cast this wind. Protect me from my enemies and blow them back. Rise, as I command thee, Wind—_GUHO!"

_"Transmute!"_

BADOOM

A large noise interrupted the chant. A follow-up cry activated a skill. The next thing anybody knew, Saitou Yoshiki was flying out of the dust cloud and into the outer crowd. He landed square on his back with a bruise on the side of his head. Unconscious.

"Healers, you're up!"

Meld ordered them to move out of fear that they would remain dumbstruck. But credit given where credit was due, the top mage healers of the Kingdom wouldn't lose focus even in this scenario. Unlike the remaining trio stuck in the ambush, Heiligh's top priests and healing mages were already monitoring the boy and ready to catch another just in case.

"How is he?" Meld approached to assess the damages, but with how the healers were taking it, he needn't worry.

"He's fine. He got knocked a hit to the head. Looks like a sword pommel or something small. The one that sent him flying was a stone object to the gut."

"How'd you know it was stone?"

The mage dusted the boy's chest. His robes were covered in small rocks and large chunks of dirt. It was as if he was hit by the basic earth magic 'Stone Pillar'. But that move was normally reserved for defensive ramparts and temporary architectural support on collapsing buildings.

To think it would be used offensively.

"Oy! Where's that wind?"

"I don't know. Yoshiki! The hell are you waiting for?"

"Dammit! Where are you, bastard?!"

Turning his attention back to the battlefield, the dust had yet to settle. The remaining three of the original four on the offensive were now in a chaotic state of anger, frustration, and panic. Thinking that Hajime was no longer on the defensive, they began their manhunt in the cloud.

The weakest of them all had the advantage of surprise. Meld nodded approvingly at the child's ingenuity. And, to be fair, he applauded Hajime's resolve to toss away any form of prideful, head-on fights in favor of this impressive use of skill.

"Clever kid."

* * *

_"'Being strong does not mean you don't have a weakness. Everything is flawed in one way or another. Apply what you know. Use what you have. You are weak. You don't get the option to complain.'"_

So went one of the lines his friend had repeated over the past few days during their training sessions. Despite losing control and nearly dropping from exhaustion during their first weapon practice a weak ago, Eichirou was adamant about continuing the routine of early morning bouts and midafternoon magic exercise.

This was the result of all that training.

"Oy! Yoshiki! Where's that wind, dammit!"

"Fuck, he's not in his hole! Nagumo got away!"

"Shit! Find him!"

"Come out, you coward!"

The trio were currently in a mad panic. Searching around in the dust cloud was going to be futile if they couldn't see. So removing the Aeromancer first was the best solution. Sure, one of them could chant another wind magic to blow away the wind, but they would have to chant for longer. That gave time for Hajime to find and silence them.

Saitou, the one Hajime knocked out initially, was easy to surprise as he was the loudest of the bunch. He always found the need to shout out his lines. A fact that Hajime picked up from Kousuke who, like Hajime and Eichirou, found the Bastards Four an annoyance.

"_'Know the enemy and you can find their weaknesses'_, heh." Behind the handkerchief mask, Hajime chuckled as he whispered the advice to himself. "Seems pretty underhanded."

But then again, Eichirou would have kicked his ass if he let pride get the better of him. The weak had no use of it. More so if it turned to hubris.

"You two, fan out! He can't have gotten far."

"Right!"

"Got it!"

_"'Being obvious is a weakness. If you already are in a disadvantage, it's plain stupidity.'"_

Hajime rolled his eyes as he mulled over the words. Given the fact that neither of the other two could see the speaker, Hiyama, this was probably the best they could do given the dust cloud that blocked their view. But as he didn't have much time until the modified gust spell wore off, he got moving.

The idea behind the spell was to encompass all four of them in a 'living smoke bomb'. The large circle mainly outlined the border of the spell. The smaller, inner circle was the one that sent dust into the air, the outer one simply contained it and sent the dust back to the middle via a low air current hugging the ground. As the center of the spell was where he originally was, Hajime could navigate the field just by observing the air current and flow of dust on the ground. Another plus side was that it softened his footsteps. With all the wind flowing about, the muffled steps he took went unnoticed until he was already behind another one.

_"Transmute!"_

"Huh? Guys! I found—OY! Let me out!"

"'_Take away the enemy's advantage_.' Sorry about this, Nakano."

"Don't fuck with me! Get me outta here!"

After summoning four high walls around Nakano Shinji, Hajime quickly drank one of his mana potions and started making his way around in the shadows of the cloud. Neutralizing the spellcasters first was done. The next one was—

"There you are! Reichi, over here!" A hand tried grasping him from the side but only knocked the handkerchief away from his face. "I'm going to kick your ass!"

Hiyama had found him. Just great.

All according to plan.

Had Hajime ever worn glasses like Eichirou did, he would've pushed it up the bridge of his nose. Even with the dust obscuring the sunlight, he was guaranteed a shine from the anime gods above. Ah, he was distracted. Better get to work.

Rolling away from Hiyama, Hajime tried to escape his reach. The roll was a flop and he only made it a few feet away before Hiyama closed the distance with a single leap.

"Where are you going?!"

'Damn that agility stat!'

Hajime was not jealous of Hiyama. Okay, maybe he was, but only a little.

The stat difference made the fight all the more unreasonable. If his pops saw him now, he would definitely make a Dark Souls reference. And as much as he'd cringe at that, Hajime knew it too be appropriate.

"Stand and fight, you little—!" _"Transmute!"_ "What the—!"

He didn't get to finish as soon as he took a step forward. The ground that Hajime had rolled on put him in the perfect spot where the ground was softer than normal. Due to the shifting of the earth by Kentarou before their practice fight, the flooring of this section of the field was unevenly distributed. Thus, it made for the perfect sinkhole.

Drawing his sword and the stone dagger he dual held it before him like some bland anime protag. All the while, Hajime smiled with a dark chuuni air.

"Heh," he was met with a scoff. "What? You think you got me just because I can't move? Stop getting ahead of yourself, you disgusting otaku!"

He didn't get far by taunts. As far as Hajime was concerned, Hiyama wouldn't be able to harm him until he got out. But because of the guy's stats which were higher than Hajime's by several folds by now, he couldn't do anything either. It was a stalemate.

"Once Reichi gets here, your fucking dead!"

"Heh," Hajime's chuuni smile grew. After all, he was counting on it! Slamming an open palm in the floor, he willed his image into the earth. _"Transmute!"_

"I GOT YOU!"

Right on time, the spear-wielding Dragoon came right out of the cloud and into their little party. Spear in hand, he was aiming for a central lunge using the spear's skill. Even if it was a practice weapon, such an attack could kill Hajime who had low vitality to begin with. But as they had healing magic, they didn't care if they maimed or skewered him too much.

Hajime, however, didn't want to become a shish kebab. So he raised his right sword hand and used its guard to parry the tip. Spinning in place with an outstretched right arm, the lunge missed its mark by several feet to Hajime's right. Reichi tried to stop and adjust, but there was no way he could. After all, Hajime had smoothened the ground around him into a glassy surface.

_"'A spear has good range. But get up close, and it's just a hindrance to the inexperienced.'"_

"Wha—Woah—Guho!"

Kondou Reichi's shout when from astonishment to shock to unconscious in a matter of seconds. The reason for the finale was due to Hajime's stone sword's pommel in his left hand striking the guy by the back of his head.

But the end wasn't in his favor yet.

"You little shit!" Tossing aside Reichi's falling body, Hiyama used his sleeping friend's spear as a foothold and pulled himself free from the sink trap before charging in a mad dash. He leapt towards Hajime, ready to pound his face in with the open palm. "Come here!"

_"Transmute!"_

"GAH!"

A wall burst forth between him and the enraged boy, separating the two. A sickening crunch could be heard as hand struck stone. A broken wrist or maybe a fractured bone? Hajime didn't care either. It was obvious Hiyama was pissed off already. Not waiting for the bastard's reaction, Hajime cut past him and ran towards the center of the magic circle. The weakening wind guiding his way.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

Hajime didn't bother sparing him a glance as he saw his objective. Just close to the modified gust's center, he spied the one he was practicing with before they started pushing their bullshit on him.

He slipped into a slide, emptied another mana potion, and cupped his palm on the other custom-made spell, the open side of his palm directed at the direction he just came from. He began his chant just as the wind magic dispelled. With the dust settling, he was locked on by a furious Hiyama.

"NAGUMO!"

_"Light up the path of your children. Guide their way through the darkness. Shine, as I command thee. CANDLELIGHT!"_

He closed his eyes at the last second and saved himself from the powered up version of the Candlelight spell. Hiyama, who was too lost to even notice the chant, got the full blast directed to his face, effectively flash-blinding him.

"YOU SHITTY BASTARD! DAMN YOU!"

It slowed him down, but not by enough. He still ran in Hajime's general direction, his good hand swinging dangerously with Kondou's spear before him. Not wanting to take a risk, Hajime slammed his hand facing Hiyama and dealt the final hit.

_"Transmute!"_

"GAH!"

Just as Hiyama's located him by the skill's activation, a pillar of stone struck Hiyama in the gut. The force was powerful enough to knock the air out of him and, like Saitou Yoshiki before him, tossed him out of the thinned dust cloud.

THUD

The sound of Hiyama's form crashing into the side was enough to send relief flowing through Hajime as he sat back, dusting himself off. Before him, the carnage was apparent. The large scale circle was covered in dirt and powder. Kondou still asleep next to the slip stone and sinkhole. The pillars Hajime used to knock two idiots out of the cloud stood tall, about his height plus a few centimeters.

Looking to the side, he saw Saitou being cared for by the healers. Hiyama was being checked on by the other mages. Kondou's spear thudded as it struck the training ground on the other side. Its light weight and small form allowed the momentum of Hiyama's exit to launch it high enough for the blunt spearhead to pierce through solid stone.

All in all, better than any would expect of the weakest Apostle.

_"… better than being helpless, no?"_

The words brought a smile and chuckle out of Hajime. Soon, he was laughing so heartily that he didn't care if they all stared or that he was laying down on a pile of dust.

'I did it! I actually fucking did it!'

The thought raced through his mind. To think, after all this time, all he needed was a little help. Who knew that getting a little advice and some support from someone who actually gave a damn was all he needed to improve?

The newfound feeling of success and achievement caused the smile on Hajime's face to grow as wide as it possibly could. Despite being alone on the battlefield and drunk on his victory, Hajime enjoyed the feeling. Too bad, his lonesome wasn't to last.

"Nagumo-kun!"

Shifting his gaze, he saw the angelic figure of Shirasaki Kaori running towards him. Her face, filled with the most worry he had ever seen from her, was just about in tears as she got closer to him.

"Ah, hi there, Shirasaki… san— Get down!"

"Eh?!"

Panic replaced his victory as he saw the angel coming towards him at full speed as well as the incoming fireball shot by the dazed Nakano who took it upon himself to scale the stone prison's walls to escape. The moment he saw both rushing towards his position, Hajime had already jumped to his feet and pushed Shirasaki down.

"Nagumo-kun?! What are you—?!"

"Sorry! _TRANSMUTE!_"

BOOOOM

"GAH!"

"AAAH!"

Just as the earthen barrier was erected over his body atop hers, the sound of the impact muffled Shirasaki's screams while it also blew a chunk of stone away, sending shards flying everywhere. A fair few flew straight towards his back and embedded itself under his skin, causing immense pain.

"Nagumo-kun! You're… you're bleeding!"

"I'm alright!" He really wasn't and it hurt like a bitch. But gritting his teeth, he managed a face that tried to convey his calm. "I'm okay, Shirasaki-san. How about you?!"

"I'm fine. Thanks to you!"

'All is well then. Thank goodness.'

He sighed heavily as soon as he knew she was unharmed. Despite how he found he presence somewhat troubling, he didn't hate her. Just the fact that she could've been hurt was enough to send him into a semi-catatonic shock. Thanks to Eichirou's training to emergency situations, however, he managed to dodge the metaphorical bullet as well as avoid the very real ball of flames.

_"Incinerate all that stands in my path,"_ Oh for crying out loud! _"Fireball!"_

A second fireball could be seen from the corner of his eye. With Shirasaki firmly hidden beneath him, all he had to do was raise another wall and replace the shattered one.

_"Transmute—_Urgh! What the…?_ TRANS—_GAAAAH!_"_

Only, Hajime wasn't able to call his skill out. Instead, a heavy shock ran through his skull, repeated a thumping in his head as a bad sign. There was only one thing it could mean.

"Nagumo-kun?!"

"I'm out of… mana!"

Tired and exhausted from the earlier fight, he overused his mana. Digging into his pockets, he found only empty bottles. The fireball was soon upon them, and he had no way to protect them both. Unless...

"Shirasaki-san, stay down!"

Pushing her down and covering her as best as he could, Hajime braced. However, it was unnecessary.

_"Celero!"_

The familiar voice spoke a language that felt foreign yet understandable due to the Language Comprehension skill. What's more, Hajime had heard it as a shout from far away, but the words that followed were spoken near his prone body.

"I'll handle this one."

Opening his eyes, the back of his friend was all that he could see blocking the fireball from view. A spear rested in one hand while the empty one was held before the blazing meteor. Hajime couldn't see Eichirou's face, but by the sound of his voice, he could imagine the guy wearing an eerily calm expression.

_"Terra Murus."_

With just the two words, a giant wall erupted from the ground. In less than half a second, Eichirou had done what Hajime's skill could with a decent chunk of mana.

_"Munio!"_

The palm he placed on the wall caused a light glow to envelope the stone barrier.

BOOM

Hajime had to cover his eyes as sparks and flames danced all around the edges of the wall. It held strong, which was astounding as the power was strong for a simple fireball spell. Way too much for a simple practice match.

"Something's not right. Stay here."

Eichirou must've noticed as well as he vanished into the smoke just as soon as the spell failed to hit its target. Getting up and dusting himself off, Hajime wondered what the hell was going on for Nakano to fire off such a powerful spell consecutively. But he didn't have the energy to spend on contemplation. For now, he should be concerned for those in need.

"Shirasaki-san, are you al…right…?"

The gears in Hajime's head stopped turning. Before he knew it,

THUD

His consciousness was fading fast as he laid on the ground next to Shirasaki's panicking visage. She was shouting something. Judging by how her mouth moved, it was probably his name. He also noticed that even Yaegashi and Kousuke were there too. Ah, even Kentarou and the others. So they were now fussing over him.

Soon after, his perspective was blocked by an old man he recognized as Break Senec, the elder Court Mage. Reading his lips, Hajime noted the words 'mana' and 'exhaustion'.

'Ah, that's right. I ran out.'

He thought to himself that maybe it was a bad thing. Throughout their experiments, Hajime and Eichirou had never gotten to the point that they lost all their mana. Mainly because Eichirou tested the spell for efficiency and modified it before Hajime could try the old and inefficient ones himself. They guy never seemed to run dry, a fact that Hajime tried to note down.

The adrenaline could have also been a factor as to why his own body didn't seem to want to react. The emergency was something he tried to be prepared for but the real deal did more than just tire him out. His body really had weak stats. He would've laughed at this, but his throat didn't seem to want to cooperate either.

Ah well, nothing he could do about it now, anyways. With his mind tuckered out and his body not responding, he let the darkness claim him a little too early in the day. Under the morning sun, successful in proving himself and protecting his fellow classmate, Hajime just did what felt natural and went to asleep.

* * *

In a certain room of the palace, all the windows had drapes pulled over them. The daylight peered through the tiny cracks, revealing several tens of stacks of books scattered all over the study. Several of the stacks fell as soon as the door was pushed open, knocking the haphazardly organized piles over.

"Break. How many times do I have to tell you to clean after yourself?"

The new visitor shook her head at the sight of the mess. Despite her monotone voice and blank expression, Tear looked very disappointed at her colleague's old habits as she went to pull open one of the drapes.

"Can't be helped. I'm too busy to bother myself with putting them away. Besides, I need them on hand for research." The old Court Mage followed the other into his own study, leading two guards and a struggling Apostle over to his desk. The sudden light from the open window bathed the cool room in the sun's warmth. "Sit him here."

"Grrrgh!" The writhing form of Nakano Shinji struggled against the binds to his wrist and the gag on his mouth as he was sat on one of the two seats laid before the elder's table. "Gaaaaah!"

"Is the Apostle-sama going to be alright?" one of the guards asked curiously. The other just wore a similarly worried expression. "What's wrong with him? Why is he going berserk—Gah!"

"That's what we brought him here for!" Break, waving his own magic rod over his head after using it to smack the guard, berated the men. "Right now, all you need to do is keep him restrained. He may be a Pyromancer, but an Apostle is still capable of tearing your head off your shoulders if you're not careful!"

"Break, stop beating my men. But stay alert, you two. He's right." Another man entered the musty room. This one's presence caused the two guards to salute before returning their hands to the thrashing Nakano. "Eichirou will be here soon. He just dropped off Hajime in the infirmary. He says to try not to harm Shinji as much as possible."

The two guards nodded but nervously watched their charge. Being there to witness the Apostles' spar, they were amazed at the power, ingenuity, and skill the otherworlders possessed. Notably, the one that was a Synergist, Nagumo Hajime, was one of if not the most amazing one of all. After dismissing him for his class, the way he carried himself and how he managed to defeat four other Apostles was astounding to all of the Tortusians who took him for a fluke.

No one present at the arena could just ignore him now.

"Hmph. Had the boy not lost consciousness, I would've been able to learn his secrets much, much sooner. Dammit, I knew I should've hunted him down after Yamamoto-sama mentioned him during the audience with His Highness."

"Don't think of breaking into the infirmary, Break." Meld warned the old man. He knew the elder still had some sense in him. But when it came to magic and research, he tended to go way past overboard. "He needs his rest and it's not good to wake someone who's knocked out by mana exhaustion."

"Yeah, yeah. Ruin my fun…" The old man merely shrugged as he huffed away to retrieve one of the fallen books of a nearby pile. Dusting it off, he flipped the tome open and ran his fingers through the leaves, searching. "Let's see. No. No. Maybe… no. Ahah!"

"Which spell is it?"

Tear didn't even bother turning to face him as she kept her eyes on the still-resisting Apostle. She continued studying his resisting form until Break returned to the desk and laid down the open book.

"Seems he's been hit by an Obscured Vision spell." Turning to the Knight Commander, he explained. "Basic effects falsifies what he sees with an illusion."

"That explains why Shinji kept shooting Fireballs despite Kaori getting in the way."

"Grrrraaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Meld frowned harder as he watched the boy continue resisting his binds. Toppling over another nearby stack with his thrashing legs, the boy now attempted to bite at the guards' fingers.

"There's more to it than just that, though. Whatever he's seeing, it's more than obscuring reality. It's causing him to lose himself and attack relentlessly."

"Isn't that the advanced version of the spell, Malefic Vision?!" Tear, for once, made a surprised expression as she drew closer to Break's open tome. Pushing past him, she made to find the passage herself. "If he continues on like this, there's a risk of him going insane. We should release him from it. Immediately!"

"I understand," Meld's crossed arms tightened their grip slightly. "But if we take off the magic now, we won't be able to know just what the hell is going on and why he went berserk in the first place."

The other two mages didn't refute it, nor did they agree with it either. The boy continued to struggle as the guards tried to keep him in place.

"Gaaaarrng Ooouuuu!"

"Wouldn't it be better to let him speak, sir?" one of the guards asked. Faced with his superior's questioning gaze, he gave his opinion. "If you say he's angry at something or someone… shouldn't we try and reason with him… to know what it is?"

He had a point. And if they didn't do anything now, they would be wasting time. After considering it, Meld nodded.

"Release his gag." The two mages prepared themselves just as Meld gave them a glance. "If he tries to chant a spell-"

"We'll stop him." Tear nodded, opening the tome she carried at all times and raising her staff. Break merely readied his own stave and tapped it on the dirty carpet.

"Do it." At his signal, the guards unbound the boy's mouth.

"DAMN YOU! I'M GONNA KILL YOU, BASTARD!" The shouting was too loud for the small room and threatened to echo through the hallway outside. Still thrashing about, Nakano was now free to try and bite his keepers. "LET ME GO! I'M GONNA BURN YOU ALIVE, NAGUMO!"

"Well that answers who he's mad at." Break winced slightly at the loudness of the shouting. Old age might not have dulled his mind and magic, but his ears where another story.

"Shinji! SHINJI!" Meld's attempts to get through didn't look like they made any progress. "Answer me, Shinji! Why did you attack Hajime?!"

"GAAAAAH! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Meld's voice was promptly drowned out by Shinji's cries.

"YOU GODAMNED MURDERER!"

* * *

"Thank you for your assistance again. I'm grateful you're able to look after my friend and colleagues."

I bowed to the senior physician. This being the umpteenth time I've met him this week, it's become a habit for me to start my greeting like so.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, Yamamoto-sama! It is us who should be thankful for all that you've done."

And it was also a habit of his to add another 'no' to his humble response. I swear, his 'no's' will become a speech at the rate this is going.

_'So polite, just accept it already. There's no way you can just deny it. Not after all you've done for them.'_

Correction. What _we've_ done for them. Don't think you can skimp out on responsibility here.

_'You have the gall to say that? After denying the 'great power comes with great responsibility' speech from the fool of a Hero just a few minutes ago?'_

This and that are two different things. We saved all those people because if we didn't, after showing that we were capable of saving Liliana and Lundel, it would've roused suspicion. As for Amanogawa, I don't want to be held accountable for a bunch of reckless fools. Their willingness to dance to Ishtar's tune makes them more of a liability than a tumor.

_"Do you really have to compare them to genetic disease?"_

I promptly ignored this and looked over Hajime's sleeping form. Performing Appraisal just a short while ago, Break was right. Mana exhaustion had forced him to lose consciousness.

Having had to save Shirasaki right after facing the four idiots, three of which were now resting just across the other side of the room, must've triggered his fight-or-flight response. It was a miracle he had enough mana to create the first barrier. Had he not, he would've been burnt to a crisp trying to protect the girl.

I shouldn't have let her run to him until the fight was truly over.

_'You didn't know that the boy would lose control and act irrationally. Blaming yourself for this little mishap is way beyond presumptuous. Stop taking responsibility for this child when you don't even want to involve yourself with the rest of his fellow fools.'_

Can't do that, Mia. This one's already a friend. And like I told that self-righteous prick, _I do not abandon my friends._

_'Haaah, you are walking contradiction.'_

What can I say other than I'm selfish?

Mia's sigh was the only response I got. Getting to know someone who had access to my memories and none of her own was too easy. Getting along with her when she can't exactly leave my head was another story.

She wasn't just a voice. Something I learned over our week of being stuck together was that she was a very curious existence. Less of the fact that whatever she was before now is a complete mystery. More in that having no memories prompted her to try and learn about everything and everyone around her.

Every time I did something, she would wonder why. When I made decisions, she saw it fit to question my reasons for it despite 'knowing' enough about me already. Just several days ago at morning, she kept asking me why I woke up so early and pestered me that she was tired.

I don't know how the hell that was possible when it was _I_ who was doing the majority of any activity with _my_ body. I only lent her some control when we stuck ourselves in my room to have a little meeting, but whatever.

In any case, my anxiety of being in another world hasn't left me. At all.

Just the thought of Ishtar planning something had me waking up in cold sweat before the sun even crested the horizon. Because of this, even my turning in at early evenings has been all for naught. Mia couldn't do anything but deal with the sleep deprivation. Didn't stop her from questioning the reasons and validity of my anxiety though. That was a major pain in the ass.

_'I'm just saying. The little maid doesn't seem all that suspicious to me. Less than being a spy, I'd say she has more of an admiration of you and your actions. At the very least, she's grateful for your saving her and her fellows.'_

I didn't respond to this as my suspicions still didn't let up. It may have lessened somewhat after that display Ishtar pulled when he was willing to enslave and execute them without trial. But I can't use Earth's modern common sense to make too many assumptions.

For all we knew, she could still be a spy to some other political group that Ishtar tried to delete or she's being used via blackmail or threats.

_'That exaggerated skepticism of yours is astounding.'_ She said so sarcastically. _'Just how deep do your trust issues go?_'

Deep enough.

I didn't respond further to her questions. Not that I found them prying. It was just that Mia was actively trying to learn about me without sifting through my memories and the people around me by observing through my own eyes. Why she wouldn't just go through my memories and be done with pestering me, I have no idea why.

_'I'd rather not freely go through your personal experiences. It feels… wrong… to just rely on memories not my own.'_

Even though I'd given her my consent on it already, this stubborn side of hers was really annoying. But at least, because of it, I understand her character to be very moral and honest. Being mentally stuck together and coming to agree with the majority of her mindset as she did mine, I believe we were similar in some regard.

I believe that Mia is someone I can trust.

_'You're most welcome.'_

However, that didn't mean we completely agreed with everything. Her methods, for one, were pretty flashy. Just this morning, when we leaped in to save Hajime, she pulled out another new spell without the use of a circle.

_'It was an emergency, was it not?'_

It would have caused problems if Break and the other mages were not distracted by Nakano's berserk state! Think of what would've happened if they found out!

_'You preferred the boy and the foolish girl die or be seriously injured?'_

Of course, not! And thank you for that. But please, for the love of god, stop trying to draw too much attention! We already stick out as it is. You could have used one of the slips I had ready in my pocket. You didn't have to resort to… whatever it is that Latin-related sorcery is.

_'Fine. But, in exchange, you have to find some way for me to be able to practice my magic without interruption. I feel… something… whenever I use it. Something familiar. Like it belongs.'_

Haaah, you're not even sure where the hell it came from. It just so happened to pop up when it was so desperately needed. What is this? Divine intervention? Deus ex Machina?

_'Say what you will, but whatever it is, I can't control it. Grasping at straws is the best I can do right now. Even you are curious about it, are you not?'_

True. I was. Unlike the magic of Tortus that left a bad tingle whenever I used it, Mia channeling the Latin words through me carried a warm feeling that was curiously comfortable as well as unknown.

But strange as it was, it carried different rules compared to Tortusian magic.

The lack of a circle was a biggie. Chants could be omitted if one had the aptitude. But to lack a circle, magic needed to be channeled by someone possessing the Mana Manipulation skill to directly form the spell out of thin air. The thing was though, only demons and monster had that.

Not humans.

In that sense, if any of them noticed, we may get lynched as demons undercover.

_'We could pass it off as Anima's magic. They wouldn't question magic from another world, now would they?'_

Problem in that is there _can't_ be magic from Earth. Not too powerful or specific ones either that can control the elements besides free will. The other classmates not hearing of anything were proof of that. We can't just pass it off as being a member of some secret cult or the like either. The probability of such things happening are too slim to be believable compared to 'demon spy in the palace'.

Between the two, I guarantee Ishtar would push for the latter.

_'That's because you strongly oppose him. If you just played his game, none of this would've happened.'_

And be a political pawn to that deranged bastard or someone else in the palace? Hell no. You and I both know that letting them use us is the same as taking a risk in war against demons. They'd use us until there was nothing left to exploit.

At least, with our current position, he can't do anything to us directly.

_'And yet, you complain too much. For someone who refused to be a piece, you sure are a reluctant player.'_

And look what good that did _them._

I glanced over to the trio lying asleep on the far side of the infirmary. Having used Appraisal on all three, one of them was afflicted with an illusion spell. It was minor and would wear off soon, but compared to the one afflicting their fourth member, Hiyama's curse was a cherry and Nakano's was the cake.

It was probably due to the time spent cursed. Someone wanted to harm Hajime or Shirasaki. Maybe they tried for Hiyama's weak mind but failed due to him being blinded and knocked out just as the dust settled. Nakano had been in plain sight for quite a while, trying to escape by climbing his stone jail made by Hajime. As soon as he got out, however, Nakano must've gotten the full brunt of whatever curse it was, causing him to go mad and chuck consecutive fireballs at my friend's position.

Because of that, Hajime nearly died for it.

He didn't eve react when I got close and tried to stop him. Nakano just tried shoving me aside and made to chant another spell. Thankfully for me, not so for him or whoever cursed him, he didn't bother stopping me as I knocked him down and gagged the bastard.

_'Why do they all hate the boy anyway?'_

Mia asked the same question I kept asking myself.

I don't know. An inferiority complex? I've never stayed long in Japan to get the social cues. Vacation with the grandparents was really all we had before… well before whatever asshole thought bringing kids here was a good idea to prevent their race from being obliterated.

"Ara, Apostle-sama." A familiar voice made its presence known from the infirmary's entrance.

"A good day to you, Head Maid." I bowed as she curtsied.

_'Really? You don't know her name?'_

No one ever said it out loud and I never had a reason to ask.

"Are you, by any chance, here to see the patients again?"

"I'm currently looking over my colleagues right now." I tapped on Hajime's bed post and nodded my head to the other three. I didn't like them, but I had to play nice. Glancing to the doorway that led to another wing, I added. "I plan on visiting the remaining patients later, when they are scheduled to leave."

The old woman graciously nodded while a few younger maids filed into the room from behind her and started replacing the sheets of the empty beds. Some even entered the wing designated for those undergoing recovery from the poison. I couldn't exactly let the sweet-loving kids just throw up all the poison they downed in one sitting. Not only would it hurt their body, it could scar them for life. I needed to be careful with their mental as well as their physical health.

_'What's the harm if they don't come to enjoy sweets anymore? At least you wouldn't have to bother with them for this long.'_

You don't exactly know how fragile a child's mind can be, despite being a vocally intelligent and sentient one in my head that is less than a week old.

_'Are you calling me a child?!'_

Is that a problem? You technically are. How about you let the grownups handle the problem, little one?

_'Hmph.'_

I sensed an odd feeling there. Like a hint of jealousy that I focused more on the nobles kids than her. Or maybe it was that I never properly thanked her for giving me the method to heal them.

_'I'm not jealous!'_

Okay, so Mia was mad. Haaah, such a child. I should think of something to do for her a little later then.

As I stood by and let the maids do their job, a few of them I recognized. Among them was Amelia. They did as well of me from the accusation incident and quickly nodded their sincere thanks, again. But being on duty meant that they couldn't dawdle under the watchful eyes of their strict Head.

That being the case, it was odd that she was still here.

I didn't read much on the Victorian era other than the fashion and culture, so I also didn't understand much about her duties. But maybe she was tasked to watch over those who were let go. If the Prime Minister was being meticulous, then it wouldn't surprise me if he had others keeping an eye on the would-have-been executed lest something crop up as a lead.

It wouldn't be odd if that whole kafuffle was done with ill-intent to the servants for an ulterior motive by external parties. Earth has lots of examples of framed incidents by sabotage or ill-informing.

_'I thought you said we couldn't rely on your world's common sense?'_

I didn't say I couldn't rely on it. Just that we can't use it to make too many assumptions. I could use Earth's knowledge. But not to the degree that a light novel protagonist would. Knowing a lot of something when this world knew little was a double-edged sword after all.

Before long, the Head Maid had left with a bow to me. I returned it and gave more to those who repeated their thanks until we were left alone with the one patient, two guards in the poisoned victims' wing, the three pricks unconscious, and a few physicians milling about.

_'Enough of the narrating. I can see what's happening without you telling me. Now hurry up and explain why you don't want to use Earth knowledge. I'm curious!'_

Since when were you not?

_'Hm?'_

Haaah, fiiiiine.

In terms of technology, Earth's science is too far advanced enough that it can be considered magic to the… lesser educated of Tortus. Just the concept of poisons as non-magical and a mere chemical with negative effects on the human body is boggling enough for these doctors and healers.

It's proof enough that this world's fully reliant on magic. Going so far as to even worship its origins. To bring technological advances that could help the common folk without magic and reduce their dependence on the Church could cripple the religion's support. By a small amount is a bit of a hit for their small population.

But if many humans done have much proficiency with magic, then they have a problem if all those people swap technology over magic. There will still be believers, sure. But if their funds came in more from the cost of healing or magical assistance than donations, they won't last long. At the very least, they won't have the influence or funds to keep up their power.

_'You think they are the same as those of Earth's?'_

No. Worse.

The religions of Earth all had corruptions at some point and more than a few misguided leaders here and there. Tortus' Church of Saints is similar to Earth's Catholicism in a lot of points. Two of those in common are miracles and the promise of paradise after death. These things are pretty much par for the course, but the majority of believers who come because of them are of the commoner class or the uneducated.

This one's worse because it's backed by magic that proves miracles are true and exist. Not just that, but the masses rely on the Church of Saints for guidance and healing according to their library. It also functions as a support base against the monster hordes and rallies the human race together against the other two races.

If you took away the healing part of their creed, they might need to rely on other means to support themselves. In a serfdom society, the money would be emptied out of the commoner class' pockets long before the nobility will ever need to. Once that condition is clear, add the corruption of some noble families and…

_'… revolution…'_

I winced at the conclusion. It wasn't a precise prediction. Merely one of many gruesome ones that could happen. France's clergy before Napoleon were corrupt to a T, but that was because they relied on nobility. This was the reverse case of the matter, however, just because it _won't_ happen, doesn't mean it _can't_.

All they need is a weakened or defaced belief and a strong enough spark.

_'The pope may be a fool, but he won't take the risk.'_

Not if he truly believes he is backed by a god.

_'?'_

I glanced up at the stained glass window above that bathed the infirmary with the morning light. The mural of the cold-eyed god stared down from above.

_'Nguh…'_

What's wrong?

_'Nothing… nothing… just… keep going.'_

Hm, if you say so… I shrugged off her weird tone and resumed.

Compared to the religions of Earth, the Church of Saints is much, much more powerful. The 'relics' on Earth amounted to nothing more than remains or accessories of the dead. If they could kill, it would probably be after they've been sold to the highest bidder and cursed the thief with a cold or maybe cancer.

But the Church off Saints has a Priest Order of healers who are also capable magicians as well as a holy site on the mountains that this kingdom was built at the base of. Not just those, but despite having to rely on donations and payment for magical assistance, the nobles here give hefty sums of money due to the Church's favorable opinions. Getting the backing of a god is always a good thing.

Having the magic to prove it, the Church of Saints has all the support it needs to stay afloat and regain any influence they lose in a revolt. Worst case, they could crush it with impunity and make use it as an excuse for reforms to rule more strictly or censor a lot more perspectives.

_''You can threaten a man and his family with excommunication, or just blow him up instead', is it?'_

That's a little too extreme. The better method is to 'use them as a pawn or seize his property and use it as your own'.

_'Your world's history sounds like a fight for survival amongst animals.'_

That's the general idea. The strong live and the weak die. Earth's monarchies survived like that and could do this all just the same during their time. But not in the same scale that Ishtar and his people can manage.

_'A larger playing field. With bigger effects.'_

I mentally nodded.

This is why I can't rely on Earth's knowledge too much. It's on a magnitude beyond me or anyone on Earth could ever predict or counteract. One wrong move, and not just me, but a lot more could get caught in it.

But there was still hope yet.

_'You mean to find allies in this world that you can rely on without exposing us?'_

That's the idea. As long as we have backers, I wouldn't need to predict much other than for self-preservation. Less hassle for me who has to find a way home. It should be someone high enough in power that respects us or needs our help more than the Church. Not every man is a firm believer of the faith, after all. No matter the world, there are bound to be a few enlightened or cynical folk.

_'Meld seems like the former. His demeanor declares that he lacks faith in the Pope's decision-making concerning sending children to fight a war. The Prime Minister may be beginning to doubt the old fool as well. Both seem to value your insight as well as respect the aid you've—'_

Ahem?

_'—we've given there people.'_

Making allies with them is good and all, but if I play politics too much, Ishtar could pick it up and try to snuff it out before I even get a support base. Being the pope of a world religion is no joke. Especially for an age akin to the Middle Ages but on magical steroids.

For now, we start closer.

My eyes landed on the sleeping form of Hajime.

_'Is that why…?'_

Yes and no.

Yes, he doubts Ishtar and he was a convenient piece to distract the pope. But no. Hajime is more than that.

_'Is this that thing about not abandoning him again? Why do you persist with him?'_

I've hardly known these people for more than a month. Among them, I can get along with a lot, be friends, have a fun time, and so on. They're good people, bar a few exceptions.

I could feel Mia look to the sleeping trio through my eyes before returning a glance to Hajime. Huh. Weird way to put it.

Hajime was one of those good people if not the kindest. But unlike the others, he was never given the proper chance to express it. Maybe, I just thought he deserved one. If it benefits me, so be it. But I honestly just want this kid to achieve something. Something he can call his own.

If I can give him that while working on finding a way to escape this hell hole, then two birds with one stone.

_'That doesn't answer my question. You hardly gain anything by helping him!'_

I winced at her interrogative tone.

I'm not playing a zero-sum game, Mia. The value I gain from him is not for you to decide.

_'Why, Eichirou? Why give this child so much? What exactly do you value that helping him gives you?'_

…

_'…'_

…

_'…'_

I want to give this kid the same opportunity I had before it's too late.

_'What does that—?'_

"Yamamoto…kun?"

I didn't need to turn around to know who was behind me. The way her voice shook when she said my name more than told me what I said still weighed heavily on her.

"Perfect timing, Shirasaki-kun," I gave her my most non-threatening smile that I could. Sad to say, it hardly worked. "I was just about to leave. Do me a favor and keep an eye on him for me. I still have something to attend to."

"Eh? But you said…?" She made a difficult face before settling on a frown and turning away. "No, nevermind me."

"Where are you going?" She stopped as I grabbed on her shoulder. The tears were obviously held back, more for Hajime's sake than my prodding, but it was still hard for her to look my way. With Hajime just behind me, it was probably too hard for her. "Are you just going to leave your savior here unattended?"

"You said that my presence was a bother to him." She trembled but didn't cry. She was strong enough to hold it in. "That my concern was the reason why this all happened."

"And, do tell, are you planning on running away? Just going to walk away without so much as an apology or a thank you?"

That was the last straw for her. Pulling away from my light grip, she turned to face me and glare. Dead in the eye, I could see the fiery defiance to my questions. She didn't say anything, but I already knew her answer.

"Shirasaki-kun. I'm only going to say this once." I kept my composure as she did her defiance. "How about you be little a bit more honest with your feelings towards Hajime? Hm?"

POOF

T'was the sound I heard as her boldness melted away into embarrassment.

"Wha-wha-wha-How d-d-d-did y-y-y-you—?!"

"Haaah," I am tempted to facepalm just hard enough to snap my glasses in half by the bridge of my nose. But I resisted the urge. "Because I'm not blind, Shirasaki, and I don't assume people do things on a whim. You offered Hajime concern, repeatedly. If you didn't have some affection for him, I'd say you had an ulterior mot—"

"I DO NOT—!" She realized her mistake and covered her mouth before hissing. "I never had any bad intentions for Nagumo-kun!"

Damn. She has quite the lungs. And these four must really be tired not even stir in their sleep.

"I know you don't. You're too airheaded for that." I swore I heard a muffled giggle coming from the infirmary's open entrance. A sway of the end of a hiding ponytail told me enough, but the one in front of me needed convincing. "You always had good intentions, especially for Hajime."

Man, she was so red, she couldn't even prove it false.

"But many others misunderstood you and thought you just pitied him. After that, they all started thinking in the negative for him not even appreciating your concern." Realization dawned in her eyes. Finally. "Because you never clearly explained, even he started to think you were doing it to spite him."

"I would never—!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" I wagged my finger before her face. Being slightly taller than her, it felt like I was doing it to my siblings all over again. But as we were about the same age, this would probably be considered offensive. Regardless, she stopped talking. "I'm not the one you need to explain it to."

Nodding my head to gesture towards Hajime's bed, a stepped aside and made my way to the exit.

"Good luck."

I whispered knowingly while I passed her with a little push on the back. She stumbled at first. But slowly, she got to his bedside and sat down. Right now, she was no doubt contemplating on what I said. If all goes well, she gets over whatever's keeping her and does what needs to be done.

* * *

"Shirasaki-kun's concern may have started this, but you do understand that your leaving things alone only let the problem grow, don't you?"

The eavesdropper held her breath, shocked that she was noticed. But the boy who just exited the infirmary didn't even look in her direction as he continued to speak.

"It's not in my place to tell you what to do with your life. But your actions… no. Your _inaction_ caused a friend of mine to get hurt. Forgive me if I'm a little… pissed off about it."

The expression he turned to her with was beyond pissed off. The anger hidden behind his glasses was borderline murderous. But just as he turned away, it softened and vanished, leaving just disappointment.

"Do you have any excuses?"

"'Excuses'?" Shizuku's brow scrunched in confusion.

"For your actions, Yaegashi." He didn't face her, but it felt like his disappointment was trying to freeze her solid. "Is it because of the love of your friends? Or do you just not care about the people around you that you left Hajime alone to suffer, merely apologizing to him every day for Amanogawa and Shirasaki's mistakes?"

Shizuku's teeth audibly grinded as she faced him with her cold and sharp eyes. However, from where she stood, her stance partially wavered. Only the former of his statement was true. Her compassionate nature was what kept Shizuku going on and on about covering for Kouki and supporting Kaori. But because of today's incident, it was hard to deny the latter.

Hajime getting beat up was not her own fault. But it may have helped lead to it as she never enlightened Kaori to the fact that her friend's presence caused the boy so much trouble.

"Shirasaki's absentmindedness, I forgive. She was distracted by her feelings and I can't fault a teenager for that since, well, she doesn't know any better." The boy took a step towards her, then another, then another. For each step he took, she retreated half back. All the while, he kept his gaze low, towards Shizuku's feet. "But then, there's you and Amanogawa Kouki."

In under six, Eichirou towered over her, his disappointed glare placed square on her forehead. Not her eyes because the moment he got within arm's reach, she looked away, unable to maintain eye contact.

"Ignorant, blind to the plight of others, egotistical, self-centered, irresponsible, selfish. Take your pick. One of these words may describe you." She couldn't see his face but the tone he used was just as dismissive as Kouki was to Nagumo. "But all of them is Amanogawa in a nutshell—"

"Don't talk about Kouki like you know him!" She grit her teeth but wasn't able to steady her gaze. "He may be wrong in his methods, but that doesn't change that he's trying to do his—"

"_Trying_ isn't good enough when all he's done is speak of justice and show off his righteousness!" His voice grew a little louder. Not a shout, but more of a hiss. "It may have worked on the simpleminded, but you and I both know how warped his naïve mindset is."

Her excuses faltered. Her stance, more so. Never had she met a person so mad and yet so disappointed that she wanted to cower away and hide her shame. She tried maintaining her calm expression but was already losing ground.

"You and I both know that Amanogawa Kouki is wrong, and yet, you have done nothing but apologize for his actions over, and over, and over instead of correcting him. Be it causing a misunderstanding or his good intentions rubbing off a person in the wrong way. I've only been in school with all of you for less than a month. But it never ceases to amaze me that even in another world, you would stick up for someone who has done nothing but trouble others while pushing his beliefs on them."

Shizuku didn't respond. She couldn't. All that she can do was look away with a cold stare towards the floor. Shizuku's palm was balled into a fist. Not in anger, but in frustration at how not a single one of his points was a lie.

In all honesty, she didn't know what to do. Shizuku had the personality that couldn't help but support her friends. Kaori was simple. She just wanted to get close to Nagumo so Shizuku assisted her best friend research the boy's hobby while they repeated talks about what and how much she felt about him.

When it came to Kouki, however, she couldn't do anything but try to keep him satisfied and smiling. Even if it meant letting him push his opinions on others. What else could she do? She tried convincing him before of how wrong he could be. All that amounted to was him not believing her and being disappointed in her lack of faith in him, her close friend. That was painful in its own right.

More so for the girl who just wanted her friends to get along and not worry them with her own feelings. Her own brand of selfishness of wanting to keep things as they are.

She succeeded in that. But to what end? Leaving Nagumo to be bullied as a result of her friends' own self-interests?

Due to her failure to act, Kaori's concern towards the boy earned him the world's envy while Kouki's careless reprimands made it easier for everyone to side against him for being 'wrong' in his way of life. Because, as it had already been established, whatever Kouki saw was right was right. Everything else had to be wrong and… 'fixed'. If not, then it was injustice to leave it be.

She knew Hajime didn't want any trouble. Shizuku left him with double. With Kaori now realizing her part in this, the frustration caused her friend grief. The regret she felt partnered with her feelings for the boy was sure to be heartrending. But she knew Kaori's personality. There was no way that girl would leave things as they are. She would try and fix it as best as she could.

That responsible character of hers was always endearing in Shizuku's eyes.

As for Kouki who had yet to change, Shizuku knew he would never accept being wrong. He always viewed their circle of friends as something that would remain as it was. Throw in being wrong about Hajime besides Kaori's feelings, he wouldn't come to terms with any of it. He never accepted things that went against his way. Kaori wanted to get closer to Nagumo, of that Shizuku was sure.

But Kouki's ideals always ran counter to everyone when they began to think of their own personal feelings. Kaori's love for the boy was obviously something Kouki would never find acceptable. He didn't approve of Nagumo in the first place.

And if he had to admit he was wrong to do so, he never will.

The thought of confronting her old friend who was stubborn as the sun was blistering didn't bode well either. In fact, she thought it might end their friendship for good. For as long as Yaegashi Shizuku had known Amanogawa Kouki, he would never accept a world view that ran contrary to his own.

Being a goody-two-shoes that was popular with everyone, it was hard not to side with him. And all because he viewed everyone's opinion as the deciding factor if something was right or wrong, it didn't even have to be either. He would just run with what the majority decided and they always sided with Kouki.

Him changing his way of thinking was of a minority concern. Mainly exclusive to those closest to him like his parents and Shizuku herself.

The 'twisted' part of Yamamoto's description was accurate.

It pained the Shizuku just thinking of how to not break their long lived friendship. Such as why Shizuku's face was now close to tears but maintained the composed visage. Well, mostly composed.

Her silence was also imperfect with how much she was grinding her teeth and sniffling. All the frustration that Yamamoto brought out of her with a brief scolding had her mask, already being held together by the seams, cracking away.

"Haaah. Here." To that, Eichirou just sighed, shook his head, and threw her a handkerchief.

The act surprised Shizuku. Her senses, honed by training, was caught off guard due to the aggravation she felt. This left Eichirou's piece of cloth momentarily obscuring her vision before she took it off her face. With his back already turned to Shizuku, he spoke quietly without ever glancing in her direction.

"At this rate, you're gonna break. So I'll give you the same advice I gave Shirasaki."

"Huh? What are you—?"

"Be more honest with yourself."

Her mask cracked ever more slightly. A small chink in her metaphorical armor.

"Stop holding yourself back too much. Let loose every now and then. If you care for your friends so much, at least have the decency to keep them on the right track. You're entitled to at least complain and voice your opinions, whether they like it or not. If you truly are friends, you wouldn't hold anything back."

"What are you talking about? First you tell me I'm wrong and now you… you just give me advice?" His sudden change in tone was too much for Shizuku. It was as if he wasn't truly mad. Merely scolding her as an older sibling would. "Where do you get that nerve to—?!"

"Don't misunderstand me, Yaegashi. I'm mad that what you allowed to happen hurt my friend. Of that, you can be certain." His tone reverted to icy cold before melting away. "But I'm not so cruel as to deny giving you another chance. I'm not as heartless as..."

He paused, but even if Shizuku noticed him clenching and releasing his fist, she never commented on it.

"I don't claim to be righteous like Amanogawa. Or as nice as Shirasaki." He spoke silently in a hoarse whisper. "But if super-nice-guy Hajime were awake, he wouldn't want you to wallow in regret for not acting. I share that sentiment."

With how calmly he was speaking right after getting so intimidating, Shizuku could hardly believe that.

"Don't take it personally. I'm doing this for my sake as well as his."

That made even less sense to the girl who was now tempted to throw the handkerchief back. She resisted, sure. But Shizuku could only do so much with how much of a mess she felt.

"Hajime's really such a nice guy. To think he never blamed you despite your inaction. Nor did he even bother to be seriously mad at Shirasaki. He just chose to stand alone and take it all like a champ. The funny part is that he can actually handle it. Really now. As his friend, I can't seem to wrap my head around his strong will."

He continued, seemingly speaking to himself.

"You, on the other hand, play the part of a level-headed guardian but can't seem to catch a break. Not only are you unable to keep your friends in line, you can't even take comfort in the fact that you try." He shook his head again. This time, he made to sound comforting rather than mocking. "It's not your job to be everyone's watchful knight. A nice girl like you shouldn't have to force herself to be one."

With a quick look over his shoulder, Shizuku's face tried to maintain the cool, steadfast façade. But it faltered as soon as she saw his eyes warmly look over her with a certain sadness in them.

"It's a shame that you restrict yourself so much. You'd look better without wearing that mask."

The guise that she had practiced for so long was now gone entirely.

"Look after those two for me. I still have something to attend to. Make sure Hiyama doesn't ruin the moment. And keep Shirasaki from overwhelming Hajime. The guy still needs to recover after all." The boy started walking away while cracking jokes. Still, they didn't bother Shizuku as much as she thought they would. "Also, you don't need to return my handkerchief."

With that, Eichirou took his leave down the quiet halls. Now alone, Shizuku didn't have to keep herself anymore. Tears streaked down her face as she recalled the emotions she kept buried.

The helpless one she felt when she saw Kaori nearly fried to a crisp. Another one of frustration whenever Kouki would open his mouth. Then the remorse she felt for leaving Nagumo be.

Despite her simply apologizing, she never did anything else to compensate him for all the troubles her friends gave the guy. Despite her inaction, he was still kind enough to prioritize saving her friend which brought all this trouble to his doorstep in the first place.

The handkerchief was beyond used. It represented just how heavy it felt to have nearly lost her best friend. In a way, it was thanks to Yamamoto who helped train Hajime that Kaori lived. More on the fact that Hajime survived while attempting to save Kaori. But as Hajime was fine, it meant her best friend didn't lose someone dear to her as well.

The thought of that sent relief throughout the scared Shizuku.

When she was done, she had composed herself once more. The calm and collected mask was on once again as she joined Kaori in her visit to Nagumo. She needed to thank him as well. An apology wasn't going to cut it anymore. She owed him more than that now.

Unknown to her and Kaori, a pair of eyes watched over them and Nagumo's sleeping form from outside their periphery.

The clear blue eyes, however, did not belong to the unconscious Hiyama.

* * *

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

"We're not getting anywhere." Meld sighed as he released his grip on the boy's shoulder to one of his men. "Gag him again. We'll wait for Eichirou."

The man nodded and did as ordered. But on his face, as well as the others, frustration was apparent as well as the exhaustion. Having had to restrain the raging young man while his commanding officer questioned him was akin to taming a monster without a Tamer class.

It was futile.

They had all gone ignored for the rest of thirty minutes or so. The entire time, the rabid Apostle didn't seem to focus on them except for the guards' hands. No matter what Meld and the others said to him, all he would do was scream murder.

Shinji didn't crack. Rather, he was already acting broken to begin with. They shortly came to the conclusion that normal interrogation wouldn't work on their mad prisoner.

"At least we tried." Tear's reassurance tried but couldn't uplift their spirits. "But we can't dawdle for too long. Given how much time has passed, it wouldn't take any longer before heh starts getting mental damage."

"We can't just let this chance slip! If he truly is under the effects of Malefic Visions, he's being misled to attack his comrades. We need to know why and who could be responsible for this—!"

DAN

The door burst open and another person made their appearance, knocking even more books down as the door slammed into a stack of them.

"Apologies for my lateness. By the Church's orders, I have come to assist—" The young man in his mid-twenties paused, stunned. His eyes roved over the people in the room and as soon as he saw the bound Nakano, his teeth audibly gnashed before he dramatically whipped up the end of his robe to stalk forward. "What is the meaning of this?! To bound a servant of Ehito-sama, have you no shame?!"

"Please, stop right there!" The man made to push past Meld and the mages but was stopped by one of the guards who held him back from the kicking and screaming teenager. His colleague struggled to keep Nakano seated, but with the boy in his current state, he found it difficult to do so without getting bitten through the gag. "I don't know who you are, but it's not safe to approach—!"

"Unhand me, sir. As a priest of Ehito-sama, I demand you release the Apostle. Such actions against the saviors of Tortus are an affront to our god himself! Are you willingly going to commit a sin against god?!"

"But…!"

The guard was visibly conflicted. Meld knew many of the soldiers were firm believers of the faith. This man and his fellow holding down Shinji were no exception. But to let the berserk Apostle free was akin to letting a monster loose on innocent civilians.

Granted, drawing parallels between those accursed beasts and the would-be saviors of Tortus was a disrespectful act, but if you looked at it objectively, they were powerful if not more so than the average human. If he was released in his current state, not just the guards themselves, anyone could get hurt.

It also wasn't that they didn't think their Commander and the mages couldn't do anything to defend themselves. Meld had what was probably the highest stats of a Tortusian. He could hold his own to a group of an Apostles as they were, but if Shinji himself was hurt in the exchange, it would be more problematic with the Church of Saints.

Neither of the guards were officers of high positions, nor were they simple commoners. But they were educated people that knew they had to stand their ground. Despite being accused of committing a crime against Ehito, they only wished to do the right thing as they performed their duty. To let a potential danger free or to disobey the Church. Neither option was acceptable.

Fortunately, they didn't have to choose.

"Deene! Stop interfering with Break-sensei and Tear-sensei's treating of the Apostle-sama!"

The newest addition to the party, stepped forward and sternly scolded the young priest named Deene.

"Ruina? You knew of this—, ahem. That's not important. What _is_ important is how the servants of god are being ill-treated by the King's court. Such actions are unforgivable—!"

"And I'm telling _you_ that you're interfering with Apostle-sama's treatment!" Ruina interrupted and pushed a stern finger on his chest. Despite him being a priest, practically above the youngest instructor's position, she didn't waver as she stepped into his personal space. "The Apostle-sama has been reported to be acting differently than normal. They don't know if the cause is magic or not. That's why he's under investigation to find out what's wrong!"

"Ridiculous! As if the Apostles would be affected by weak magics!"

"She's not lying." Meld stepped forward. Even with his gruff way of speaking and demanding aura, this young lad didn't quake. Meld took this as him being a true man of the faith, wavering only to Ehito or someone in the Church's higher echelon. Admirable, the Knight Commander thought to himself. "Shinji's currently suffering from a Malefic Vision spell. What he sees is all false and it's causing him to go berserk."

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!"

As if to prove his point, the boy let out a rabid howl from his seat.

"If the Knight Commander says so, then I shall perform a purification of the illusion—"

"I'm afraid you can't do that just yet." Meld took a step further and patted the boy on the shoulder, forcing him to lower his hand going for a short staff hidden in his robes. "He is still under investigation and you are hindering—"

"Leaving the Apostle-sama to suffer in such a state, have you no shame? Investigation be damned. As a servant of god, I will not stand by and let you disgrace him further."

It was bad. Meld didn't have the influence to rival the Church. If he stood in their way, he might as well be removed from office or disgraced for interfering. However, if he relented, they might lose their only lead to someone who meant harm to the Apostles.

A potential spy was bad, but a saboteur was worse.

Let this chance slip by and he or she, or whatever it was demon or man, could strike again. If they get another chance, success was a possibility. It would potentially knock out some of the Kingdom's war potential. If the attack causes the Apostles to distrust them for not keeping them safe, the Heiligh Kingdom might as well be doomed.

Glaring him straight in the eye, the younger man didn't falter for a second. Had he not been a priest but a knight instead, he may have become someone of note in Meld's books. But right now, this headstrong young man foolishly opposed the Knight Commander with the support of god's followers backing him.

The dilemma this brought caused Meld to seriously doubt the Church's actual capability to perceive danger. This lad, at the very least, didn't seem to understand how bad the situation could get, for the kingdom as well as the rest of humanity.

"That's enough." Yet another person stepped into the musty room. This one brought a relieved smile from the mages and guards, as well as a nod from Meld. "If you have enough time to be shouting at each other, at least tell me you got something out of Shinji."

His tone was heavy but not as demanding. Eichirou strode in with an unamused look on his face. The priest named Deene however merely brushed Ruina aside before stalking up to the young man slightly shorter than himself.

"And who might you be, siding with these sinners? Do you plan on violating the Apostle's rights as well?"

"Deene! What are you saying to—?!"

"It's fine, Ruina-san." The boy didn't even flinch. Instead, he tilted his head as he faced the young man. The casualness of his calling Ruina by her name seemed to tick him off. "You know the boy being restrained as an Apostle and yet you don't even know who I am. I guess you're not as well informed as the others. May I ask, who might you be, sir?"

"Hmph! I am Deene Ambrogio. A priest of the Church of Saints." The confident young lad said with a pious yet arrogant air. "I was ordered by Ishtar Langbard-sama to assist the Apostles in any way I can. I was told that one of them was in need of Ehito-sama's blessing as he was being detained by the Knight Commander's men. I didn't expect _this_…" he made to gesture to the bound Shinji. "This_ atrocity_ to be committed onto him!"

"AAAGGGGHHH! RAAAAAGGUUUUUUOOOOOOOO!" The boy was now swinging his upper torso wildly, trying to break free from the bindings to his wrist.

"And yet, you didn't think to ask yourself why it necessitated such measures." Eichirou's head dropped as he massaged his forehead while sighing with disappointment. "This is why I can't agree with that old fool."

"What did you say—?!"

"NGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Excuse me, Ambrogio-sama." Brushing past Deene, Eichirou stepped forward towards the two mages. "Did you find anything?"

"We found the cause… but…"

Curious, Eichirou let them explain. He remained quiet for the entirety of it and only took the seat opposite Nakano as soon as they were done. With a face of contemplation, he stared deeply at the raging guy.

"What are you all waiting for? If he needs help, then release him from this spell!" Deene, who originally didn't believe Ruina's reasoning, was now pestering them into action. "Why are you prolonging his suffering?"

"As we've already explained," Meld rubbed his head in mild annoyance while repeating to the young man. "We need to know why and how he got like this. We can't just clear it up. We could lose a lead in the investigation."

"But if you leave him for too long, you risk causing him permanent damage!" Deene's express was one of frustration as well, but more for their delaying. "As a servant of Ehito-sama, I will not stand by and let it happen—"

"Could you please remain silent for a while."

With a calm tone, Eichirou's gaze remained locked onto Shinji. His chin rested on his thumb in a thinking pose. While the other hand was held towards the priest.

"How dare—"

"Deene, shut up for a second."

Meld didn't like the first impression he got from the young priest. Hell, he was annoyed to death for the attitude he was giving them. The awkward face he made when he was silenced by Ruina, however, was definitely satisfying. After a long morning of witnessing four of his trainees lose their cool to Hajime plus this one short-tempered member of the Church, some peace and quiet was definitely overdue.

"Thank you, Ruina-san."

Eichirou, on the other hand, had remained as composed as can be for the past while. From the one-sided harassment of Hajime to jumping in and saving both him and Kaori at the last second, the boy had remained calm all throughout. He had shown his worry when Hajime was rushed out on a stretcher, but as far as losing his cool was concerned, the Apostle called Yamamoto Eichirou was more composed than any normal teenager should be.

Just the thought of that didn't sit well with Meld. It was better than what experienced during the boy's panicked reaction after getting into his first fight. He very nearly skewered Meld's face back then. But after a few days, he'd grown into a natural.

The growth speed was a scary thing. His calmness about all of this though was ominous to say the least.

Faced with the struggling Shinji, Meld thought it would take a little longer for Eichirou to figure out what to do. The raging kid had been a handful even when two people had him bound. Eichirou though, just sighed and pulled a slip of paper from his person.

"Oh! That's—!"

"I advise you all to remain quiet until I'm done. Meld, a parchment about this size, please."

The boy didn't even let Break have a moment. The old man was just about to jump the slip of paper if it wasn't for Tear blocking his way with her stave. Meld picked up one of Break's scattered scrolls and tossed it over to Eichirou. Receiving it with a nod, the boy turned to the two behind Shinji.

"Please keep him gagged and hold him down until he stops struggling."

The guards nodded and Eichirou immediately got to work. Placing the slip of paper on Shinji's forehead, Eichirou had to hold him down by the head as he thrashed further. The guards helped in that regard as well by the boy's arms and legs. It didn't take long before he activated the spell.

_"Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"_

"AARRRRHGGGHG—Kuhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…"

A small light enveloped the writhing boy and he soon stopped thrashing. Sitting back, he looked confused and unaware of what was happening. He kept glancing about, looking for something, or someone, but he didn't show anger anymore.

"What is that—Mmmf!" Deene, about to interrupt once again, had Ruina's hands cupped over the lower half of his face.

Eichirou tossed aside the ashes of the used slip aside and pulled out another slip of paper with an even more complicated magic circle as well as a chalk-like substance. He then pulled the blank scroll open. It was around the length of half the standard size for a soldier's bunk. On it, he copied the contents of the slip into a larger surface before laying it down on the floor. Meld soon noticed he was repeating what he had done during the King's audience after the incident.

The truth-telling magic of foreign origin.

"Oho—Geh!"

Standing by next to Tear, Break was held at bay by a poke of her stave to his side. The old man understood it as a warning to not interfere, but it didn't stop him from ogling the colorful shine of the circle.

Personally, Meld thought it an amazing sight. There were few spells he had the pleasure of witnessing on such a grand scale, but hardly any had such the vibrancy or drew such childish wonder from him. Its effects of forcing out the truth was also something else to behold. The need for barbaric interrogation was lost before it. However, sitting before him on the floor, Eichirou repeated the shrunken chant with indifference. As if the wonderous and inconceivable spell was merely just a tool.

_"Veritatem Fateri!" _Finishing the casting, he tidied up the space and looked towards the target to be interrogated "Alright, lay him down on this circle."

The guards did as instructed and laid Shinji atop the scroll. He was conscious, but unlike before, he didn't thrash and scream. He was sitting quietly, shifting from side to side, calm yet jumbled in thought as well as expression.

The circle beneath him, on the other hand, was colored erratically. At an interval, it changed between a dark shade and cloudy light color. It swirled and churned like murky glowing liquid shining from its thin lines.

"Nakano-kun, do you know who I am?" Taking off the gag, Eichirou spoke calmly to the once berserk boy.

"Yama…moto-kun…" He responded, calmly for the first time since the training field. The circle beneath him fluctuated, from crimson to greenish to muddy grey and back.

"Do you remember the training arena?"

"Y-yeah…" Even more colors swirled.

"Do you know what you were doing there?"

"Training… and kicking around… Nagu—!" He held his breath but then started coughing before regaining his sense. "We were… beaten by Nagumo—Hurk!"

The colors turned murky blue and grey before violet then reddening once more.

"Good, good." Eichirou pulled another two slips of paper from his person. "Do you know why you wanted to murder Nagumo?"

"Because… he…" the boy's fingers twitched just as his face contorted in rage. The crimson light similarly reacted, from bright red to bloody vermillion. "Nagumo… he killed… Daisuke… and Reichi… Gaaaah!"

Next thing they know, Shinji had thrown his head back in pain as he tried to grasp his skull but failed. Meld noted how the colors swirled into a deep black vortex after turning red. Like a whirlpool of blood.

_"Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"_

The spell was cast once more, easing his pain. But Meld knew the spell was only a temporary fix. The colors of the truth-speak spell was back to its normal vibrancy. However, there was a mix of black that the knight noticed never went away and was growing again in size. Eichirou needed to end it quickly.

"Do you remember anything else before you saw Nagumo do all that?"

"I… I… was trapped… I climbed… I saw… some… one… all black, hooded… had a… staff, and… Nguh!… watching… from the… other… side of the… Gah!... grounds…Guh! AAAGHHH!"

His breathing was escalating. Tears were forming on the corners of his eyes. A rush of colors were all in shades of red. Of distress.

"And?" Regardless, Eichirou egged him on. "What next?"

"Then…! I saw Nagumo! He was stabbing… he stabbed Reichi… in the head! Then he… he blew Daisuke's… Daisuke's head off! Blood… Blood everywhere! Uuurrrggg! GAAAAAAAGH!"

He was retching with nothing coming out. A phantom pain continued to assail his head. The black started to consume all light once more.

_"Libero."_

Not wasting anymore time, Eichirou cast one more spell and allowed Shinji's body to fall back into the arms of the nearby guards. A befuddled look in his face as he glanced up and down all around, searching for answers. The spell beneath him still glowed but was now clearing. Gone was the darkness that threatened to envelop him. What was left was a mixture of bright fusion of a multitude of colors, emulating his state of confusion.

"What—What's going… Daisuke! Where's Daisuke and Reichi?! We have to—?!"

"Sleep for now, Nakano-kun. _Dormeo._"

Meld didn't even hear a chant as Eichirou's palm rested atop the panicked boy's face and silenced his woes. The spell beneath him lost all color except for white as the boy's unconscious form leaned back, caught by one of the guards. Heaving a sigh of relief, Eichirou stood up and spoke to the man.

"Take him to the infirmary to rest with the others. Set him as far away from Nagumo Hajime as you can and have the guards there keep a close eye on him and the other three."

Handing the guard multiple slips, copies of the Relief spell, he urged him on.

"He'll be having one hell of a nightmare so tell them this will stop him from overreacting, at least for a while. When he stabilizes, makes sure the doctors keep him in bed for at least two days after."

"Understood, Yamamoto-sama."

Nodding in affirmation, the man heaved the unconscious Nakano over his shoulders. With the boy asleep and not going berserk, there was no longer any need to restrain him. Giving Meld and the others a quick salute, the man was off to accomplish his task, a sleeping Nakano Shinji in tow.

"Meld, this mystery magician Nakano saw—"

"—will need to be investigated as soon as possible." Assuming his duty, Meld looked to the other guard that remained. "Inform the Prime Minister of what happened here. Have him summon His Highness for an emergency meeting then go call Jose. Have him assign more men to keep an eye on the Apostles. Not just the ones in the infirmary. Then tell him to join us in the meeting along with the other squad captains. I will explain the rest of the situation to them myself."

"Sir!"

Without even blinking, the other guard took to the halls as well, going opposite the direction the other one went.

"First a poison attempt, now this." Tear broke their silence. She took a seat and made a thinking pose while crossing her arms. "If their aim was the nobility or the Royal Family, they didn't need to cause a ruckus in the training field."

"As much as I hate to agree with you, I have to say Tear has a point. Regardless of motive, these actions obviously show their desired mark."

Break nodded with her speculation as he quickly dashed before Eichirou to study the circle. But as soon as he picked it off the ground, the magic crystal chalk's dust slid off the scroll, much to his shock and panic before he settled on tracing the indents on the parchment's surface instead.

"Something tells me there are those who wish to target the Apostles. Call it an instinct, but I believe demons could be at work here."

"Hard to deny, considering we _are_ at war. Eichirou," Meld turned to face the Apostle who had sat down in Shinji's former seat. "Considering our options, you should be careful as well. If it really is demons, you and the others aren't… Eichirou?"

"Oh? Yes. I'm listening, Meld."

"You alright?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

Meld didn't believe it one bit. Before he even asked, he already knew the boy wasn't. For a brief moment, before Meld even called on him, Eichirou looked like he aged a few years as he massaged his temple. Meld jokingly wondered whether the boy was already suffering from what Break's age brought the old man, but looking at him tired as he was, Meld didn't think it was a nice thing to poke fun of.

Especially since the boy had just witnessed his friends and colleague's near brush with death and attempted murder.

"Maybe you should lie down—"

"No, it's fine. I just need some time to wrap my head around things for a sec. You know, take it all in." The eyes he gave the adults spoke well of his willpower to maintain composure. But this may be the second time Meld saw the boy at his weakest. The first being the panic during their little sparing session. "But enough about me. Ruina-san, any longer and Ambrogio-sama might not be with us anymore."

"Eh?"

"MMMMMMFF!"

"Oh!" Noting the Apostle's gesture to the priest's mouth, Ruina quickly relinquished her grip. "I'm so sorry, Deene!"

"PUHA! Haaah… Haaah…. Haaah… Ruina," massaging his chest, red-faced Deene heaved while nearly keeling over. "Were you… Kuho… trying to kill me?!"

"I said I'm sorry!"

Meld observed from the side as the young priest tried desperately to heave in more air while the mage massaged his back in apology.

"My word, this girl…" Tear just shook her head as she observed from the side.

Apparently, she had tried to keep him silent. But in her usual bout of clumsiness, she ended up blocking his nose while doing the same for his mouth. But despite nearly choking, the boy didn't seem to show as much animosity to the girl as he did to them when they were detaining Shinji. Like he wasn't bothered much by it.

In fact, his expression as well as Ruina's told Meld that the two were acquainted in some way. The way he just glossed over her must've meant he was used to it. The girl's carelessness, not the choking. Hopefully.

Eichirou sighed while smiling at the sight. It may have reminded him of something cheerful in the past, but as Meld and the others saw it, he was looking way more tired than they did.

"How are Hajime and the others?" Meld decided to take the topic in another direction first. "Judging by how long you took to come here, I'm guessing it's bad."

"Not really, no," the boy shook his head, keeping a hand on his temple as he spoke with his eyes closed. "As Senec-sama stated, it was just a case of mana exhaustion. I was actually late because I had to convince a certain someone to go and visit him. Otherwise, she wouldn't stop bawling her eyes out for being saved like a princess from a myth."

The knowing smile he made as he said so told Meld it was a personal matter that was too difficult to explain. But one of them did understand without the need to say and was all for Meld's hidden idea to steer the topic sideways.

"I say, the behavior of you Apostles is certainly a curious thing. If Shirasaki-sama had been a little more forward, I'd say she wouldn't have had a problem at all."

"That would be due to a difference in cultures, Tear-sama." Eichirou shrugged penitently at that. "In our world, most cultures place different values on the human heart. Many, most especially children, sometimes overvalue it to the point that it becomes too difficult to share with others. Being too forward is sometimes considered as shameful."

"I see. I must observe this with a little more scrutiny."

"I thought you were a magician, Tear-sama?"

"Heh, don't be fooled, Yamamoto-sama," Break scoffed from the side. "This woman is hardly a scholar of just magic. There were times when she'd go missing for days on end from the lecture halls only to be found studying leathers in a tanner shop."

"I told you I was searching for materials to use in binding my enchanted tomes."

"Skimming through freshly skinned hides is beyond the scope of magic tomes! What the hell would you have use for a bloody monster skin in the first place?!"

"Finding the most effective way to keep as much mana stored in my tomes from wasting away. Unlike yourself who has degraded to begging lessons from a child, I have not lost my inquisitive nature as a scholar. No offense, Yamamoto-sama."

"None taken. To extend your scholarly reach from beyond magic to enchanted tools themselves, I'd actually call it admirable."

As one of the mages laughed, and the other grumbled, Meld stopped trying to follow their conversation. But if the boy had a peace of mind now, it would all for the better at least. Despite their ages of two seniors and one child, the three of them were very good at hiding their unease.

But the youngest one still lacked the experience to cope with all the stress that must've gotten to him.

"'Yamamoto'?" Deene, who had been trying to catch his breath all this time, suddenly stood ramrod straight with eyes locked on to Eichirou. Meld noted that he took a cautious step back. "Then, all this time, you were one of the Apostles, Yamamoto Eichirou?"

"Yes, Ambrogio-sama. I am Yamamoto. Nice to meet you." Eichirou stood up and gave a polite bow. One that he returned. Albeit, Meld saw visible hesitation from the priest as he did. "For someone from the Church to have not heard of me, is there a story behind that?"

The question was honest, more curious. But the priest looked like he didn't want to answer. Fortunately for everyone and unfortunately for him, someone did.

"I apologize for his rudeness to have not heard of you, Yamamoto-sensei!" Meld's eye, as well as Deene's, twitched at hearing Ruina address the boy so respectfully. Eichirou's did as well, though his reasons came more from obvious embarrassment. "Deene's been traveling on the Church's orders to the other side of the continent and has only recently returned from his pilgrimage."

"You seem to be awfully close. I take it you're old friends?"

"It's as you say, Yamamoto-sensei." The young woman gleefully introduced the awkwardly staring priest. "Deene and I have been together since we were orphans. When they found out he had proficiency for Divination magic, he was taken in by the Church. But since I was left alone to live on the streets, he begged the priest who adopted him at the time to take me in as well. He convinced father to do so through the use of his Divination, saying that we are meant to be together until the very end—"

"AH, ENOUGH! Enough, you idiot!" Cupping her mouth, Deene stopped the girl before she went too far. "Don't go blurting out the past to just anyone!"

Meld and the other mages all watched in silence as the priest broke character just to stop the girl from mouthing off.

"Ahem." However, Deene was mostly spared from embarrassment by Eichirou ignoring the latter half of her rambling. "I see. Thank you for the… explanation, Ruina-san."

Meld thought he heard her say a muffled 'you're welcome, sensei' through Deene's hand but that was just him. Tear just shook her head as she watched her student while Break closely examined his tracings of Eichirou's used spell.

"I apologize, Ambrogio-sama, for my rudeness earlier." As if nothing had happened, the boy resumed with a smile and nod. "I had just seen my friend hurt by our fellow colleague and needed to figure out why such a tragedy occurred. I was very much not in the mood, more so for an interference by the Church."

For a second, Meld thought he noticed Eichirou stifle a cough.

"But then again, Ishtar never ceases to amaze me."

"Wha-what are you implying?" the priest suddenly spoke accusingly. His defiant character back in play.

"Hm? That Ishtar was very punctual in sending someone to assist the Apostles. As a servant of god, his devotion shows in how attentive he can be at times." The boy, however, tilted his head curiously. "Is there something wrong with that inference, Ambrogio-sama?"

"N-no. My mistake." He took a step back further and lowered his head. "I apologize for my rudeness to you, Apostle Yamamoto-s-sama."

Meld wasn't the only one who noted the boy's hesitation. It seemed like he was trying to show respect but failing to do so. As if he was reluctant to even try.

"Since Nakano's illusions has been dispelled, I guess you don't have anything to be bothered with for today." Eichirou spoke, ignoring the uncertain show of respect. "I apologize for having this problem take up your precious time even though you have just returned."

"N-not at all." Deene didn't relax his guard but replied. "It is an honor to be of an assistance to the saviors of the world."

"Then, perhaps I'll see you again, sometime in the future." Eichirou's smile might have been genuine, but the young priest's questionable demeanor didn't vanish. "Regrettably, though, I won't have any more time this afternoon as I'll have to join Meld explain the situation to His Highness. And I do have an appointment with Eliheid after all."

""EEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH?!"" The priest would have winced and questioned why he was referring to the King in such a familiar manner but Break and Ruina beat him to the punch with surprised wails. ""What about our lecture on magic?!""

The two didn't overwhelm Eichirou so much as push him over Break's desk just by their leaned in faces. He made a remorseful smile as he made his excuse.

"I apologize. As I am now, I doubt I would be able to concentrate on our lessons. Perhaps another time. I hope you understand."

"… Very well then, sensei…"

"… blasted… fate toying around with me… at least I have this…"

Ruina gave up politely out of respect. Break did so too, maybe a little too quickly in Meld's opinion. But as he grumbled while he walked to sit behind his desk, the Knight Commander noticed the Court Mage pull out other tomes hidden beneath as he studied the scroll with a rough tracing of Eichirou's spell. He may have opted to just accept the change and satisfy himself with the abrasive sketch.

"Well, now that the problem has been dealt with from our end, I guess we'll leave it to you and Meld-sama to explain it to the King." Tear dusted herself off and moved to the door of the musty room. "I believe tomorrow will be a more peaceful day for a lecture, so I shall be taking my leave now, Yamamoto-sama."

"See you tomorrow then, Tear-sama."

She nodded with a rare smile before looking to her student.

"Ruina."

"Y-yes, ma'am?!"

"Since we're free for the time period, might as well go enjoy yourself with a little reunion. I'm sure our young priest has the time now that the Apostles have been taken care of."

Meld watched as the young woman smiled gleefully before she dragged her childhood friend out of the room. An iron grip had his arm trapped by the elbow. He also noted that, as Eichirou waved them farewell, Deene sent both of them a rather suspicious glare before being disappearing with Ruina.

Left alone in the silence, the three males all let out a sigh. One was tired. The second was relief. The third was accompanied by a grumble for finally getting some peace and quiet, but neither Meld nor Eichirou could fault Break for getting too into studying and making copies of the used scroll's markings.

"Then, I'll see you tomorrow as well, Senec-sama."

"Oh, you'd better. Lest I come knocking on your door myself."

The old man gave a casual threat Meld knew he would follow-up on. That is, if he didn't forget it. He had been deprived of his long awaited study session due to the incident, so they might as well let it go. With that in mind, the knight and the young man took their leave and set off for the audience hall where the king would soon be waiting for them to explain.

"I'm guessing Ishtar's not telling his subordinate very good things about me."

Now that they were alone, Eichirou's tired but casual tone surprised the knight. He looked none too offended but it seems he picked up on the priest's subtleties just as much as Meld did.

"I'm not sure you can just take that much as fact from that Deene guy's reactions." Meld tried to warn being overly assumptive. "But if it's true, it's dangerous to have the personal ire of the pope."

"And isn't that true for any world."

"This is not a laughing matter, Eichirou."

The boy seemed to chuckle lightly as he received Meld's stern warning. Meld thought it was just his exhaustion getting to him. But by the words he chose to reply with and how he didn't once hesitate as they walked, Meld had an inkling he already understood the precariousness of his situation. If the insinuation was anything to go by, it seems that Eichirou and the other Apostles' own world had something similar occur in the past. At least, it had been recorded and taught as fact to children.

To a Knight of Tortus and of the Heiligh Kingdom, such a thing was considered as a disgrace. For people of high positions to abuse their power out of personal feelings was something to be erased from their prestigious history, lest they shame themselves with the memory. But then, if they held a position so high up and were considered necessary, there was nothing those stuck below could do about it. Other than ignore the bad, of course.

The only solution to such corrupt powers was their immediate removal. But to exert force on a superior was akin to treason. A revolt. As an honorable Knight, Meld was bound by his duty to quell such things. Not instigate them. To even think of such was a sin to Ehito and would result in either his removal or his termination.

"I'm well aware of that fact, Meld. Being who he is, the moment I am deemed an obstacle, there would be very little stopping Pope Ishtar from ordering my end."

The mere confirmation of the fact coming from the tired child was what shocked the adult most of all. How could someone so young speak so frankly about death. Though, as their leader, Meld may have asked his men to be prepared to lay down their lives for the kingdom, it was unsettling to have Eichirou say he already knew he could die if he angered one old man.

"Rest assured, Ishtar's not a fool who would take a careless approach. Again. Despite any personal opinion he may have, I can only do what I need to in order to repay the hospitality I've been given by this Kingdom."

"You say that like you don't have a choice in the matter."

"Oh, I _do_ have a choice. I just choose to do things with the methods I prefer. Rather than rush things, I'd like to wait and see before making my move. I also don't enjoy blindly following orders. Contrary to someone I know, I'd rather be called disobedient and live than die a mindless puppet."

'Someone he knew was acting like a puppet?' Meld's brow furrowed as he eyed the boy. 'Who could it be? Shinji? But wasn't that forced through magic?'

Meld didn't understand what the boy was leading up to, but just by watching the boy's joking eyes turn sullen and his posture brooding, he must've been thinking heavily on somethings as they talked and walked. Something that caused the Knight great unease.

The expression cleared itself up as soon as Eichirou massaged his forehead and let out a sigh.

The young man then stood tall with his usual knowing smile. Giving Meld a face that was like a new slate, the Knight observed as he noted how eerily fast the exhausted and stressed young man changed airs, replacing the tired countenance with vigor and determination that was akin to a polite child's or a good politician's.

It was… creepy. Meld knew Yamamoto Eichirou was a little more mature than he seemed. But never had he seen a kid his age swap faces that fast. Like he had just put on a mask. Or changed personalities.

"Whatever Ishtar may say about me, the fact still stands that what I'm doing is beneficial to this place." He then stretched his arms and legs before taking another step forward towards the meeting hall's doorway. "Well, even if he tries something, it won't matter to me in the slightest."

Meld saw it but couldn't believe it himself. Eichirou's eyes seemed to glow as he spoke in such an amused tone.

"After all, I'm protected by the spirit of Anima."

As much as the knight wanted to not believe him or tell him to not be arrogant, he couldn't deny what Eichirou had seen done in the name of his deity. Saving innocents by challenging the pope and healing those that were deemed incurable by the Church's healers themselves.

To say that he was causing stirs was an understatement.

The doors opened as soon as they were announced. Most of the ministers were already sat and waiting. The king himself worriedly stood up from his spot at the end of the table opposite the door as soon as Meld and Eichirou walked in. The concern in his eyes told Meld he was wondering what in Ehito's name was going on.

Ishtar, however, was not present. A strange fact, but maybe he was due for something with the Church of Saints that he couldn't make attendance.

To not have a representative in his place, however, was odd.

"Your Highness, ministers. Let us begin."

Getting to the meat of things, Meld explained the situation to those present in detail. All the while, Eichirou, who remained standing despite being offered a seat, observed quietly. When the Knight finished, only then did the boy speak up, adding a suggestion to investigate whether the other Apostles were similarly affected with illusion magic. Meld couldn't agree more just to be on the safe side.

The atmosphere was so tense, a pin could drop and everyone might probably jump at the sound.

"Another incident so soon, after we were just recently attacked by an unknown." One of the ministers gritted his teeth. "Who could have done this—No, are they connected—?!"

"It's too early to be making that assumption, Minister Denken." The Minister of Defense, Rhett Decorose, scolded but stayed calmly seated. "Think two incidents were done by one and we may not notice the second assailant before it's too late."

"But if that's the case, we're in a more precarious situation for not knowing either!"

"What about the demi-humans?"

"That race has no power over magic capable of rendering the Apostles berserk."

"The poison originated from Marquis Verdoben's territory."

"Then investigate him first!"

"But what about the mystery magician?!"

Another minister stood up as the first shouted so. Then another followed suit, and another. And another. The whole table soon devolved into pessimism and panic. Suspicions were thrown about, questions unanswered. Meld let out a tired sigh as he watched his fellow men argue on several points all at the same time. There were a few that stayed calm, like Minister Decorose and the Prime Minister. But to devolve to this mess as soon as they heard the news, Meld couldn't say he wasn't disappointed.

There was another exception to this, however.

Despite it being an emergency meeting to discuss what could have been a sabotage and/or assassination attempt on the Apostles, the youngest participant of the meeting kept a relived smile to his face. As if nothing was wrong at all.

With such a calm young man by his side in a room of panicked elders and suspicious ministers, Meld wondered to himself if Eichirou had expected this all along.

'If so, he had a better understanding of his position than these old men do along and more so than the other Apostles ever had.'

To be targeted by the demons this early should have been anticipated. The kingdom wasn't actually quiet about the presence of the Apostles as they all celebrated Ehito's aide as soon as they were successfully summoned.

Their enemy wouldn't stand by though. Couldn't. Having someone who even thought they were capable to oppose demons in battle was a challenge. And challenging their race wouldn't sit well with more than a few antsy demons that wished to prove their superiority over the humans.

Any who thought the demon race would back down or cower away was either a fool or an idiot.

They may have been a long-lived race, but they weren't exactly known for their humility and wisdom. Rather more for their prideful nature that looked down upon others, even demi-humans as well as each other. The news of challengers should have riled them up into action.

Action that could be attributed to recent events.

When talks of possible spies were brought up, the halls turned even rowdier. So much so that it called for His Highness to bring the old men to order.

"ENOUGH! As much we wish to deny such an embarrassment for our nation, to have the Apostles come into harm under our care is a disgrace. If there are such traitorous fiends in our lands, it is something we cannot simply ignore." The king's beard was as ruffled as his brow. "Neither can we allow it. Rhett."

"Your Majesty?" The recently recovered Rhett Decorose stood tall with a swift salute.

"As Minister of Defense, I shall leave further investigations of this matter to you. Be discreet as you can. If we let them escape, we will be remembered as disgraceful hosts to our lord's messengers."

"By your will." He gave a glance to Eichirou after he answered the king. "To have saved my life, I will prove my resolve."

The boy merely nodded solemnly as well as gave the man a kind nod before Rhett sat down.

Meld hadn't known that the minister would be a pious individual. But then again, he wasn't fully informed of the events that transpired before and after the incident between the Apostles and the old man. That is, until he asked the minister himself after the meeting.

"Prime Minister." As soon as Rhett sat down, the man standing closest to the king stepped forward. "See to it that the Apostles-sama all have increased security in areas they frequent. I want guards capable of chasing down suspicious individuals as well as those who can detect and dispel any magic aimed at them."

"Understood, sir." Pausing then stepping forward once more, he asked politely. "Should I have those currently in service to the Apostles undergo training with the Court Mages to at least have them ready with some knowledge on forms of magical interference?"

"Do what you must. Send some to check on those in the infirmary as well." The precaution seemed a bit demanding, even for normal palace staff. But considering who they were preparing it for and what was already at stake, it may have actually been too little a precaution. "Meld."

The knight wordlessly saluted his king. The sound of his gauntlets clanking on his chest armor was all the response his liege needed.

"Your men will assist through investigations amongst the populace. I do not want to suspect our own people, but if they have turned their backs on Ehito-sama and the Apostles to serve demons… they have committed treason to our kingdom."

They all made difficult faces at this statement. A testament to their disbelief that there may be spies amongst their citizens. It was in Ehito's teachings to unite with their fellow men against demons. But right now, it felt heavier than mere preaching.

To protect the people was their duty, be it behind a desk as a civil official or on the field as a soldier.

This was also a part of that, but it ran counter to it in some way. A contradicting method to keep the people safe through suspecting the possibility of one of them being a traitor. Thus, permitting them to arrest would-be suspects and interrogate them if need be. It was horrible to do such a thing to those who might be innocent, but as a Knight, he had a duty to protect the Kingdom. So he wordlessly saluted.

Even if he understood that humans weren't perfect, he didn't like the idea of one serving their enemy.

"You all have your orders. This meeting is adjourned. Do not fail this Kingdom or our Apostles."

"""By Ehito-sama's name, we shall fulfill our duty!"""

* * *

"Haaah," Eliheid sat back down uncomfortably in his seat. It wasn't the throne, but a more ornate chair used during meetings. Despite the cushions in place that made it more luxurious than the hard and plain wooden ones the others used, the stress still caused simply sitting back to strain his nerves.

"Keep up the good work, Eliheid-sama."

The soothing voice of the Apostle that remained at the meeting hall with him as the others left relieved him ever so slightly.

"Ah, Eichirou-sama." The young man smiled as he approached the king's side of the end of the long table. "It's good to see that you're alright."

"No need to worry about me, my friend. I'm as healthy as a horse."

The word resonated with the king. To be called a friend by a holy figure was more than enough to dispel the stress entirely. But the expression he wore was enough to cause a different kind of unease to crop up within the king.

"Is something the matter, Eichirou-sama? Is there something that bothers you? Let this Eliheid be of some assistance, if I can be so presumptuous."

"No. It's not much of a trouble as it has already been resolved. And it's not a bother to me specifically."

He shook his head while wordlessly gesturing to the seat next to him. He need not ask the king's permission but did so anyway. Such was the politeness in the benevolent Apostle's mannerisms. Taking his seat at Eliheid's nod, the young man continued.

"It's just that a friend of mine was nearly hurt in this matter."

He then personally recounted the events that occurred during training. There were things left out, such as the context of the fight or the four's reasons behind their actions, but Eliheid unconsciously believed that if Eichirou-sama didn't tell him, it wasn't of importance.

"I see. So Nagumo-sama, one of those responsible for saving my family and people, had come so close a brush with death."

"Being the weakest of the others in terms of stats, Hajime has the lowest chances in surviving an encounter. Anima's child tries his best, but the people he's trying to join and willing to hone his skills for have yet to recognizes this. I've been trying to aid him in is trial as, despite his weakness, he still finds it worth his life to aid you all."

"His 'trial', you say?" Eliheid was curious of the term.

"Yes. His trial." Eichirou smiled as he explained. "Anima gives all her children a trial or test, in some way, shape, or form. This is not a punishment, mind you, but rather Anima's method of teaching one right from wrong."

"Are such trials announced by a Divination or passed through his chosen by means of visions like the tasks given to us by Ehito-sama?"

The king was now intrigued with childish wonder to hear of the methods of a different god. Having always heard of Anima through the stories Eichirou occasionally shared with him and his family, this was the first time the Apostle was giving an explanation as to his god's divine means.

"Not something of that sort, my friend and king. There is no point in having the trial announced so publicly." Eichirou shook his head with a smile. "Anima's trials are for the chosen child and them alone."

"But how do they accomplish such a task if they aren't allowed to share it with anyone."

"On the contrary, you see them encounter trials and face them every day."

Eichirou's knowing chuckle further heightened Eliheid's interest.

"Say, we take Hajime for an example. His trial is to grow in strength sufficient enough to count himself amongst the Heroes to save Tortus. Quite a challenge, yes?"

Knowing of the boy's starting stats had disappointed Eliheid to have one less Apostle to rely on. But when he witnessed what the Synergist child did to assist in saving his people and family from the poisoning, his initial disbelief was washed away.

Eliheid couldn't believe it at first, either. He assumed the boy was only a minor factor to Anima's benevolent healing. He was wrong when he found out that the magic circle he used was not one prepared by professionally-trained mages, but through the use of his weak class. A class unsuited for both combat and magic.

"Nagumo-sama has achieved great progress in his task." Eliheid had to concede with a nod. "Despite being a mere crafter, he could rival an apprentice mage with his skills alone."

"Yes. Yes he can. However, it is not just in strength alone that his trial is focused on. Trust amongst his peers is another factor. Even though I have trusted in him since the beginning, it is difficult to convince the more… _stubborn_ of us."

Eliheid had heard of the dysfunctional relationship between the Apostles. He had eyes and ears within the palace. Very few of them spoke well of Nagumo-sama's relationship with the others. It had been getting better since the last week after he got closer with Eichirou-sama's friends, but it still wasn't enough.

From what Eliheid had heard, the Hero didn't get along with them both at all.

As he was the Hero or Ehito-sama's chosen, there was nothing Eliheid could do about Amanogawa Kouki. He was under the jurisdiction of the Church of Saints and to lecture him would be akin to going against the Church. Hence, Eliheid had been forced to let the boy go do his own thing.

But now that he thought about it, his benefactor sitting right next to him now has done more heroic deeds than the Hero himself.

'Was it possible the Church got it wrong?'

Eliheid mentally shook his head. No. They shouldn't be. Eichirou-sama has just been proving more generous in his own way. The Hero had yet to prove himself and he shouldn't compare the two as it was disrespectful.

"Still, I find Nagumo-sama's efforts to be admirable. Such a kind and hardworking soul should be worthy of praise, not insults. I have him, as well as Anima-sama and yourself to thank after all."

"You're welcome, Eliheid-sama. Hajime wishes you as well." Eichirou-sama's eyes seemed to shift sadly after saying that though. "But I believe this trial is a little too difficult for Hajime right now."

"How so, Eichirou-sama?"

The boy sighed before speaking his thoughts.

"You have to understand, in our world, the boy wasn't really close to most of us. I had only recently become his close friend through our research in magic. Because I found his insight valuable, I learned to appreciate our friendship. However, as for the rest of our fellows, most of them still have their judgement clouded with prejudice and bias."

To think humans would fight and behave so rudely to each other in their world, it sounded horrible to Eliheid. But when he inquired as to why men fought against their fellow men in Eichirou-sama's world, the reason was because there were no demons to rally against. Just other humans who had different opinions.

"I cannot speak for my god as Anima's trials are for her child's sake, not something I have any say in or right to comment on. But as Hajime's friend, I find the negative assumption others have of his enduring soul to be sorely misguided and undeserved. But to have nearly died before he was even given the chance to contribute is somewhat of a … _frustration_… to me."

Eliheid's fingers ran through his beard as he listened intently. But as soon as he noticed the eyes coldly glaring to the ceiling, sweat escaped his forehead. He noted the melancholic expression on Eichirou-sama's face turn deadly as he spoke, seemingly with disappointment as well as anger.

It was then Eliheid realized what he had forgotten to do before talking so casually with the young Apostle.

"For such horrible events to occur one after another, I dare say, this place just isn't safe for Anima's children—"

Standing up from his seat, Eichirou was stunned by how suddenly the king bowed to the boy.

"As King of Heiligh, I vehemently apologize for letting this all occur. As I am your host, it is my duty to watch over Ehito-sama's divine messengers. Having also been saved by Anima-sama's grace, I owe her an apology as well. I, Eliheid Heiligh, am not worthy to be your friend or host for I have failed in protecting you all."

The hall was filled with silence. Having bowed his head, even the Royal Guards and servants that were present all simultaneously lowered their heads to the Apostle as well. With their king showing great remorse, it was their duty to follow suit.

He had failed his duty. In the sense that they were all followers of the same belief, they failed as well for not pointing it out before the mistake occurred. If he was to be punished, they were all in the same boat. In front of the divine servants of god, they were naught but mere servants who had done wrong. They had no right to deny the upset Apostle from getting angry.

In their eyes, his wrath was just.

"Why do you apologize, Eliheid-sama?"

However, the warm way he glanced at them all was not what they expected. They expected anger, disappointment, contempt. They didn't expect a confused but comforting smile akin to that of a flustered parent.

"Raise your head, Eliheid-sama. All of you as well."

"You're not angry?" Eliheid asked, confused himself. "I thought you—"

"I am angry, Your Highness, but not at you, or any of you for that matter." They all raised their heads with shock and wonder. "To apologize for something you are not the cause of is pointless. Absurd. My punishing you would be meaningless."

"But we let such an incident to occur! As followers of Ehito-sama, it was our duty to keep you safe and accommodate you in your stay!"

"That may be the case, Eliheid, but you are a king. To bow and accept responsibility may be part of your duty as a follower of your Church," Eichirou-sama kneeled next to Eliheid and guided him up to stand. "But as a king, it is part of your trial to keep your head held high and lead this kingdom. Not to apologize for something you had no control over."

"My… trial?"

"Like I said, Anima gives all her children trials. It may be as simple as learning to make friends or thinking for one's self. But there are also others as difficult as the mountains are steep. Being a king is one of them."

"We're all… Anima's children?"

As a believer of Ehito-sama, to be told so was unheard of. The teachings of the Church was absolute faith and belief in Ehito-sama and Ehito-sama alone. Another faith was deemed blasphemous and a sin. Being told he was another's child and believer was akin to sentencing his doom as Ehito-sama's believer.

"Wipe that look off your face, my friend, lest you ruin the image of a true king." Eichirou simply smiled and spared a glance to all present as he spoke. "You are all Anima's children. Of that you can be certain. Anima is parent to all. He considers you family, even Ehito. To think otherwise would be denying her grace."

"Would you deny her favor which was freely given to you at birth?"

The teenager's saint-like smile captivated the king. Not in the sense that he wished to adopt the boy. But rather, the old man easily found solace and reprieve as he listened to the words that came from the boy before him. To be forgiven was a relief. To have received a god's favor was a blessing. But the way Eichirou-sama smiled on them all was more personal. It was special.

It reminded Eliheid of his own parents' love for their son as he grew up.

"Anima wishes only for her children to be grateful. To be happy. To Anima, his family's happiness is all she ever exists for."

'Ah. So this is how he views us through the teachings of his god.' Eliheid wondered in amazement. 'Like family.'

It wasn't just him. All the guards present stared in wonder while their chest felt warmed. To be welcomed as a family by a god was something they never felt from Ehito before. The god of Tortus demanded respect for being allowed to live with his blessing. But they were now hearing of a god that freely offered strangers familial love in exchange for simple gratitude. It felt like a dream.

And none of them wished to wake up.

"As Anima's child, you have all received a trial in some way more unique than the others and there are always more than one. You should know, Eliheid. You've nearly succeeded in fulfilling one of Anima's trials."

"I have?" The king found it surprising to have already been tested even though he was only listening to this now.

"You didn't fail as a father when you chose to accept Anima's blessing, did you not? How many of your children did you lose? That's right. Not one. As a father, one factor to success is rearing your child until they reach adulthood with a sound mind, a healthy body, and a compassionate heart."

Thinking about it, he had raised Liliana quite well. Despite not being his heir, she had grown up to be a fine young lady, great in intellect and kind-hearted to boot. Had she been his heir, she would have made a fine Queen. Sadly, this monarchy was a patriarchy. It would fall on Lundel's shoulders to lead the nation. But by Eichirou-sama's words, he hadn't failed nor succeeded just yet. This meant he could still do more for his children. As a true father should.

"The other one of your trials is the task of the King." Eichirou held the older man by the shoulders as he was sat down. "For this incident, I cannot fault you for it is not in my right to declare judgement over your task. Only Anima can do that. And as I see you now, you have yet to fail your responsibilities, my friend."

"What do you mean, Eichirou-sama?"

"Your kingdom is at peace. Granted, you are at war with the demon race, but that was beyond your control just like today's incident. After all this time, I have yet to hear anything about dissent from your people. I may not have gone beyond the palace walls just yet, but to not even have a single servant dissatisfied with your rule," Eichirou glanced at all the guards and servants present. "I must say, your family is beloved by your people."

A few nodded to show their agreement. A handful of soldiers even saluted.

Taking this as a sign, Eliheid could only believe in the Apostle's word. It had to be true. He had worked so hard ever since he inherited the throne from his father. Not just as the king, but as a parent. To find confirmation from his people proved that. The only one who usually found things to complain about was…

"But what of Ishtar-sama?" the air in the room tensed as several of the present servants stiffened while the guards looked away. "He has always stated I am lacking in my belief for Ehito-sama."

At this, Eichirou scoffed, then began to chuckle. Eliheid wondered what had amused the Apostle so, but he didn't dare to interrupt. Not when the face he gave the king was more benevolent and divine than any of Ehito-sama's murals ever were.

"Anima does not doubt your belief in Ehito, Eliheid. Someone as devoted as you, to have lowered your head to a mere child such as I is proof enough of how much you respect Ehito's authority and evidence already as to your reverence. Ishtar has no right to deny you that. Not when he himself is not perfect. You should know, my friend. He very nearly had Ehito's own followers executed due to his panic at letting a would-be perpetrator escape."

The king remembered the day so clearly. Ishtar-sama just blankly gave the order for their execution. As if they weren't even worth the mercy. And who should step in but Anima's prophet.

"Someone as old as Ishtar is bound to make a few mistakes. He is only human, after all. Ehito would never abandon your people under such dire circumstance. This is truer for Anima who has and always will see you as family. You, who have shown such gratitude, is indeed worthy of her grace."

His belief was strong. His faith was true. His devotion was his own and no one could take that from him except god himself. By Eichirou's words, Eliheid felt the doubt disappear. All those times when Ishtar would berate his decisions for trying to make his kingdom a better place was probably done out of senility on the old man's part.

"There is a saying in my world. 'To err is human; to forgive, divine.'" Eliheid watched in awe as the cosmic glow in Eichirou-sama's eyes blessed him with holy light. "All people sin or are mistaken. God forgives them for it. Hence people are divine when they forgive."

Because Ishtar was human, he was prone to make the same mistakes as Eliheid would have. But doing what one thought was right wasn't a mistake. For this reason, him doing his duty as a king was never wrong. Not even what the pope had to say should affect his decisions for his kingdom.

It was his responsibility. A because of that, it was his duty to do the best he could.

"Thank you, Eichirou-sama. Your words… have brought peace to my troubled soul."

"On the contrary, Eliheid, I must thank you." The boy's smile was childlike and innocent, but strangely endearing and comforted the old man's soul. "Having someone to talk to about Anima has spurred me to do my hardest in her name."

The king smiled at his response. In a sense, this young boy was the old king's equal. They were both followers of their own faith and did what they thought was best for theirs. Eichirou-sama for his friends and fellow Apostles. Eliheid for his kingdom and family.

This feeling of motivation, and the recent talk of doing what he could as a king for the sake of what he believed to be the right thing, compelled Eliheid to do just that.

"This may be rude of me, Eichirou-sama. But I wish to make a request. I understand that Anima's will is for her children's sake," Eliheid struggled to piece his request together. "But after learning more of the lessons through your stories, you have consistently emphasized on his focus of free will."

"Anima is a parent that wishes for her children to grow, but she does not choose how. He leaves her children's future in their hands." The boy nodded firmly. "I'm guessing your request is something that forces my hand in a way I may not agree with, is it not?"

A nod from the king, but a smile from the Apostle.

"Then there is no problem with my hearing you out. Anima does not make judgement of your character by what you ask, my friend, only through your actions. As her follower, I must strive to do the same. So speak. As long as it's all for the sake of Anima's children, I will at least consider your request. Even if I may not like it."

Swallowing hard at this, Eliheid spoke.

"I wish to request your joining the other Apostles-sama in their training within the Orcus Great Labyrinth." As Eichirou listened, the smile slowly disappeared from his face. "With the war upon us, I wish to have the means to protect my people. To do this, I require the hastening of the Apostles-sama's growth to be ready for an impending invasion."

"Such a thing is dangerous, is it not? You understand my stance on fighting."

That Eliheid did. Eichirou-sama stated himself more than once before. He didn't wish to fight because he had no stake in it. If Eliheid were to objectively put it, Eichirou-sama had been kidnapped from his own world. By all rights, he should have hated the kingdom and its people.

"I wish to support you in my own way, my friend. But I believe violence is not one of them."

But Eichirou-sama was a saint. He didn't hate them for it, nor did he blame them. The young man just took it in stride and treated them kindly.

"I'll give you a chance to convince me, Eliheid. Why should I join them in fighting when I have my own research to accomplish? What of my proposal to call for aide from another world?"

There was that as well. But frankly, the hope of surpassing the limits of humans in terms of magic was a farfetched dream as he was now. Compared to the loyal Knight Commander and the wise old Court Mage, Eichirou-sama may have seemed impressive for being so young.

But he was still weaker than the enemy.

"I'm sorry if I may offend you, Eichirou-sama, but as things are now, the Apostles including yourself are no match for the demons. Power-levelling is the only method we have left available and there is another reason as well."

Eichirou's expression didn't do more than remain neutral. But just a glance in the boy's eyes, Eliheid could sense that he was troubled. He may have understood the fact that he was weak, but that alone wouldn't convince him to put himself in danger. In any case, it would actually prevent him from risking too much.

The librarian had already reported how Eichirou-sama had researched everything on magic, even what was known about the Labyrinths, or at least the two known ones. From what Eliheid could recollect about those books, the sparse information they have on the partially explored floors only had more dangers than rewards.

So Eliheid moved on with the topic he knew would most appeal to the boy.

"The Labyrinths are also said to contain magic tools and items that could aide us in the war effort as well. Being so ancient, it is practically a ruin with ties to old magic and houses potential assets that could increase our chances against the demons." Eliheid followed up. "There may also be something that could help assist with your research!"

He was just grasping at straws, really. His daughter had informed him of Eichirou-sama's plight so it was why she asked him personally to find a way to assist. In his full capacity as king, he would order the search and hunt for magic tools that may aide the boy, however, such a search would take too long. There was also another predicament to the suggestion.

The last time a magic item was excavated from the Great Labyrinth was so long ago, it was practically during Eliheid's great-grandfather's lifetime. Not his reign as king. It came before that.

The Holy Sword that the Hero Kouki was using was still considered a vital asset as well as an ancient artifact they couldn't replicate. With the chances of such items being collected for the sake of defending the kingdom, there was still the possibility of a magic tool or artifact that could provide Eichirou-sama with some insight or support.

But it was still a vague hope.

"But if it's something you certainly disagree with, then I shall not impose." Fearing offending his friend, the king tried to retract it. "As a mere man such as myself, it is already rude of me to be so arrogant as to—"

"Eliheid-sama." The boy calmed down the rambling king. "Do not devalue yourself so. As I've said, you made the decision while thinking of Anima's children. This is for the sake of winning your war and not simply personal gain, correct?"

"It's as you say." Bowing his head low, Eliheid answered truthfully. Not a single lie escaped his lips.

"Then, I shall consider it. However," leaving his seat and turning toward the door, Eliheid didn't see the Apostle's expression as he stated so. "I think I will need some time to contemplate on this."

"Then, how about in two weeks' time? The other Apostles-sama wouldn't be ready until then, and there are still some preparations to be made for your safety as well."

"That will be… sufficient. Such an expedition could prove insightful. But I must consider if it is indeed worthwhile to explore such a possibility." Giving the king a polite bow, the boy smiled, slightly sad, as he bid the king adieu. "I will consider the matter with Anima's guidance. I hope you have a good day, my friend."

"You as well, Eichirou-sama. I pray to both Ehito-sama and Anima-sama for Nagumo-sama's recovery."

The boy nodded with a smile.

"I pray to both as well that you succeed in finding the perpetrators of today's and last week's incident. Stay well, my friend."

But as he left, Eliheid felt guilt well up in his chest. He dismissed everyone present as he returned to his quarters with only a handful of his elite escorts. Wallowing in regret, he wished there was another way to explain to the boy how drastic the situation was.

But simply telling the Apostle to just conquer the dungeon which had only been explored halfway after his father, the former King's, death was akin to demanding the impossible.

They had been many more powerful humans, who faced its dangers. But the strongest adventurer, who was still more experienced and more powerful than they were currently, failed at the sixty-fifth floor.

"To beat the demons, there is no other way. Forgive me for asking the impossible, Eichirou-sama." He truly felt regret in his heart.

The demons had already conquered one dungeon. With the power they attained, they gained the ability to manipulate monsters, which was originally thought impossible unless one was a Tamer. It was the revelation given unto them by the Church of Saints just a few months prior. With the disadvantage clear, they needed a comeback.

The nearest dungeon, the Orcus Great Labyrinth was their best bet.

"For the sake of this kingdom, I needed to make the decision for my people."

Sitting on his desk with his hands covering his face, he looked to the portrait of his family hung over the hearth. The faces of his children when they were younger and his wife's all looked down on him as the heavy feeling weighed him down.

He had grown to like the boy. He was of a good moral character, a respectable individual, compassionate as well as patient. In truth, Eliheid thought he would make a fine Hero. Sadly, the Church didn't see him as such.

He wasn't blind.

Eliheid knew just how offended Ishtar was at the boy's presence. All the talk about how the Pope berated his methods as king were true, but in all honesty, the boy's friendly nature and kind beliefs were more appealing than the pope's demeanor ever was.

Had the boy been a member of the Church, Eliheid wouldn't doubt himself for a second.

But Ishtar was getting old. He was making mistakes. Sentencing people to death without evidence went against the laws the founder of this kingdom had established. To be just and compassionate was the king's duty. Passing judgement on his people was not the Pope's responsibility. It was his.

'To any god that hears my prayer, I ask that my decision does not stray from the righteous path. I ask you guide that boy to survive as well as to cleanse this kingdom of those that would threaten to destroy it.'

Between this newfound distrust in the Church's leaders and his remorse for misleading his friend, Eliheid prayed. Not just to Ehito. He prayed to Anima as well. Sad to say, the prayer went unanswered.

But a deity heard it all.

Unbeknownst to the King of Heiligh, his prayers were heard by a divine being. Whether it decided to fulfill his wishes or not was beyond the remorseful king, however. Because to a god, this mortal's opinion mattered not.

After all, what weight did human hopes and dreams have compared to divine whims?

* * *

In the quiet halls, located somewhere beyond the palace, a multitude of individuals in robes marched in procession until they arrived at the central gathering hall.

Inside said hall, many more robed figures were all seated, waiting for the rest of their colleagues to take their seat. Among them were priests and nun, servants of great loyalty and devout followers of the one true god. Their robes, from pure white to those adorned with golden filigree, were the colors of their devotion, their purity. A symbol of their superiority over the other heretical races of Tortus.

CLANK CLANK

The sound of a wooden rod hitting the cold marble floor echoed along the stone walls as the last of the procession entered and the great doors were closed.

Presiding over this gathering of the faithful, one elderly man took up center stage before the great mural of their lord.

"I welcome you all today, brothers and sisters of the faith. It is now time to discuss the will of our lord, Ehito-sama."

"""Glory to his name."""

Ishtar nodded approvingly as the crowd's chant resounded in unison. Such was the unity they had with their fellow believers.

"To begin. One of our own had dared raising a hand against our messengers of god."

The hall burst into murmurs and surprised gasps. The mere shock of such a news was enough to break their composure. After all, it was unthinkable to raise a hand against another servant of Ehito-sama.

"Silence." The hall did so. "After using the poison within the blessed fruit, the ambrosia of Ehito-sama, to cause chaos and panic amongst the weak-minded aristocracy, the perpetrator submitted themselves to the Church's judgement. Step forward."

Chains rang as an individual took center stage. Escorted by a priest who held the shackles and a nun who held a staff to the prisoner's throat, the one in chains didn't smile or frown, merely held their hands in prayer. Kneeling before the pope, the prisoner's face was visible to all those present.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I merely did what I thought was best. The nobles were filth, stains upon the Apostles as they let greed and power corrupt their very intentions. Instead of merely worshipping and begging the messengers of god for mercy, they dared to make requests and ask for the joining of their children and god's angels."

The disdain in the prisoner's tone was accompanied by the disgust on their face.

"Such filth must be purged lest they taint god's purity."

Ishtar sympathized with their plight. Even he wished to be rid of the faithless fools, but he stayed his hand and asked instead.

"Do you claim to have done so out of the will of Ehito-sama?!"

"No. I merely acted on my own personal belief that it would please our lord."

Murmurs amongst the crowd, questions whether they should punish or release the prisoner. More than half leaned to the latter, but there were those that argued the prisoner's arrogance in taking matters in their own hands.

Ishtar didn't bother with them, however. He had already been given his orders and he must deliver them by the will of Ehito-sama.

"For your actions, you are to be blessed. It is true that Ehito-sama is pleased with your devotion." Those who were of similar opinion nodded fervently. Those that didn't held their silence and prayed for forgiveness for having disagreed with their god. "Such piety is rewarded by Ehito-sama. Release the prisoner."

The stave was lowered immediately and the shackles magically disengaged around the prisoner's wrist and throat. But the individual didn't stand. No. They merely prayed.

"For having served the Church in the past as well as taking action for Ehito-sama's sake, you are indeed in the lord's favor." Placing a hand on the freed prisoner's head, Ishtar gave his blessing. "You are forgiven for your past misdeeds and will be allowed to return to your duties as a mortal servant to god. You still have a task to accomplish in his name"

"I thank you for delivering Ehito-sama's gracious message."

Making a surprised face, the prisoner nodded and accepted. Dismissing the freed child of Ehito and the two escorts, Ishtar was once more alone in the center of the hall.

"Next to inform you all, a heretic has been hiding amongst the Apostles."

The murmurs started once again. Only this time, they didn't die down immediately. Rather, it seemed to escalate by the second.

"Silence. SILENCE!" CLANK The hall quieted down once more at the sound of Ishtar's staff. But from the crowd, one of the priests stood up and remained standing. This was their method of asking for permission to voice their thoughts. Giving the man a glance, Ishtar nodded. "Speak."

"The heretic must be dealt with! If a sinner were to taint the Apostles, we would lose one, if not more, of the lord's servants before the demons arrive."

Nods of agreement came with it. Even a few stood up to voice their own agreement. But Ishtar was already ahead of them.

"As he says, the heretic dares to taint the Apostles with his mere presence. Just this morning, one of the Apostles had been cursed to kill one of the Heroes." This news brought the tension in the hall to an all new high. "Fret not for he has been dealt with and the Hero survived. However, the one to instigate the curse belonged to none other than the heretic himself. Yamamoto Eichirou."

The hall silenced as they attempted to memorize that name. Not just to know their enemy, but to remember that he was the world's enemy.

"The sinner has done naught to prepare himself for the war. Instead, he does Ehito-sama the dishonor of abandoning our lord's glorious quest to rid the world of the accursed demons!" The air grew as sharp as a knife. The cold air of the peaks of the mountain was no match for the frigid glares the believers gave the stone floor. "Not only has he tried to run away from the honor granted to him by god, but the impostor wishes to force the return of the other Apostles as well, claiming he would return them back without accomplishing the task set on them by the glorious Ehito-sama!"

The murmurs of the clergy went wild. From cries of execution to demands of persecution, they all agreed they wanted the false Apostle gone.

"However, it gets worse. Not only has he resisted Ehito-sama's will, he has chosen to heal the sinners and the greedy nobles while protecting those of weak faith. The monarchy's children, who were all under Ehito-sama's test of faith, escaped the lord's trial by accepting the sinner's help!"

"Calling them 'innocents'. He preaches about the mercy of his pagan deity he calls Anima. A god that he claims to be more superior than our lord. He even has the audacity to have them name him a Saint!"

Ishtar had them all on his side. They jeered and stood tall, crying for the execution of the prophet from another world. It got so bad that they had forgone the protocol of requesting permission and all just stood up from their seats. One by one, they all rose up, enraged.

"Burn them! Burn the sinners for turning their backs on god!"

"Who cares if this Kingdom's lineage is lost? All should be for Ehito-sama!"

"Fools. The lot of them. Purify the kingdom! Purify this world!"

"Death to Anima! Glory to Ehito-sama!"

"""Glory to Ehito-sama!"""

They began chanting again. This time, the sound was so loud, one could probably hear it from beyond the great doors. But as they all chanted in unison, there were some who stood up in silence. Nine nuns, not seated anywhere near each other and scattered about the hall. Hoods were drawn up to cover their heads, but the blank, clear blue eyes, monotone expressions, and a glint of hidden silver hair were the only signs Ishtar needed.

CLANK

"Silence." All sat back down with the exception of the nine nuns. "Speak."

"To dismiss this kingdom without the lord's word, a sin."

"To take action before the lord's word, also a sin."

"To wait for our lord's wishes is our task."

"To rid the heretic, we must wait for the lord's orders."

The way they responded, it was as if they shared one mind and soul but split into different bodies. All of the lord's most loyal and devoted servants knew who they were. But none dared to identify them for it was against the lord's will to reveal their names.

However, a man stood up. This was once a former lower member of the Church. Only recently was he elevated in rank and allowed to join these gatherings. It was also his first time speaking against anyone of the higher echelon. His expression seemingly disagreed with what four of the nine nuns exclaimed. When allowed permission by Ishtar, he acknowledged his differing opinion.

"If we wait, the sinner could raise a rebellion! He could cause the masses to revolt against the kingdom. If he leads the revolt,—"

"""Then the sinners shall be dealt with."""

The united answer of all nine nuns silenced the man. Their cold, indifferent glares prevented anyone else from voicing their opinion.

"Stay your hand and be patient."

"The lord's will is yet to come."

"Be it a heretic or sinner or god from another world."

"Our lord will tear them down as soon as he loses interest."

The hall remained silent as the air weighed heavily on their words. They were nuns, yes. But their presence was overbearing for even Ishtar to not be able to respond against them. However, he never planned on it as he had received his orders from Ehito-sama through one of the nuns currently making her way to the center of the hall.

"The visions of Ehito-sama compels me to pass on a message, young Ishtar."

The ninth nun stepped forward and lowered her hood. Suddenly, the room felt like it was bathed in a silvery glow as the moonlight through the lord's mural bathed the sister's silvery hair with a holy glow.

"What does my lord wish of me to accomplish, Hearst-sama?"

Despite his old age, the old man leaned forward and kneeled before the seemingly younger woman. However, anyone who knew better would know that this was no ordinary woman. She was beyond human. A being blessed by Ehito-sama's grace and only existed to serve his will.

"Ehito-sama's message is to 'Leave the heretic be.' He shall be dealt with by Ehito-sama himself."

All gawked in silence and bowed accordingly to the mural on the wall as moonlight bathed not just the nun, but the entire hall with holy silver light.

"By Ehito-sama's will, we graciously accept."

The nun didn't respond. She didn't have to nor did she have the will to do so. She merely stood there and accepted the Pope's respect as she had done over the thousands of years of her existence.

A True Apostle had no need for expressions. As much trouble as this new heretic was, the doll of an angel didn't bother thinking much of her lord's new toy. Broken as it may be, if he willed it, she would destroy the fool were he stood.

But it wasn't fun for her lord if she did so. Hence her and her sisters' interference with the Church's gathering. In the end, there was only one thing that mattered.

"""Ehito-sama's will is the world's will. Glory to Ehito-sama."""

"""Glory to his name!"""

The nine dolls chanted, followed by the whole clergy.

Night fell on Heiligh that day. But the curtains remained up for the theater hosted by Anima's playwright. Unknown to the target of the Church's ire, his role to play as Ehito's piece has already begun.

* * *

**_TUTURUUU_**

**_I hit a new record. 36K words, 77 pages on Word with size 11 Calibri font, to be precise._**

**_Shit._**

**_My bad for the poor sap who tried to read the entire thing in one sitting, but I really didn't have the time to split this up, lest I screw the plot elements while dealing with IRL._**

**_Anyway, how're you all doing?_**

**_I'm guessing the one whose been skipping chaps is getting preeeetty pissed that I'm taking my sweet ass time. Well good luck to you, buster. This is free. Deal with it._**

**_To the ones who may or may not have mistaken a few things, I'll clear some of them up._**

**_No, I didn't name the Prime Minister 'Rhett Decorose'. That's the Minister of Defense. They are two different dudes. Call it a set up because I needed the dude to have some animosity to play up Hajime's apparent 'uselessness' for a war. ;)_**

**_No, Mia isn't a god. She's an unknown variable I threw in for fun… just kidding. She has a purpose, just not an amnesiac god or whatever you came up with, guest reviewer. Sorry to disappoint you, but I ain't doing that for 'too OP reasons'. Yeah, sure, Eichirou and Mia is OP right now, but that's because I've been pitting them against kids, immature ones to boot. I plan on cutting that down to size soon._**

**_You, TheAbyssWatcher. I like you. But don't get your hopes up, please. This is an amateur ship born from mixed messages. At the moment, it's more painfully one-sided than mine is with my husbando/ waifu. :3_**

**_And dragonngo. Keep up the THICC review. Insult/compliment me with anything you find. Criticism is nasty and all, but I really am just writing this blind without your pointing out what you think. XD_**

**_I'll try shortening this next time to allow you all a little breather. Also, next update would proooobably be in another two weeks. If I'm lucky._**


	9. Chapter 9

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 9: Similar Choice, Different Direction**

* * *

The scratching of a quill on paper was the only sound made by the young girl as she sat down in the maid quarters, only partially ready for the start of the day. She had yet to tie her brown hair into a bun as she decided writing her little brother a letter was more important.

'Why?' someone may ask. It was because this was the only day of the month she could have it sent to her family outside the palace.

Because of the strictness of the palace, and due to recent events, security had been raised substantially. It was for the Apostles-sama's sake, the maid imagined. As the recent incidents had transpired, talk amongst the staff that the demons had begun to target god's messengers was rampant. For the Holy Church and the Kingdom to be on high alert was a given.

However, there was little panic even for the lowly servant girl. After all, both incidents had been thwarted with nary a death. Injuries, sure, but they were already taken care of and relatively fine. No one had died, and it was all thanks to one person.

"Haaah," letting out a sigh, she finished signing her letter. Placing the quill and ink bottle aside, she was left to stare at her above average face on the small mirror given to each of the maids. Amber eyes deeply contemplated what she should do for the morning.

'Should I brush my hair a bit more?' she said while checking the mousy brown locks before shaking her head. Cupping her palms, she hid her face in them. 'I wonder if I should just keep it laid back.'

She then refused it a second later.

Due to the lax policies of the maids, it was common for more than a few to leave their hair down or cut it short just above the neck. The young girl, however, sported locks that tended to curl up as they got longer. Right now, it reached her shoulders but spread out around her back in small twirls.

This led to her simple head becoming, as the other maids joked, the soft broom.

The joke wasn't meant to be insulting at all. Her colleagues also received their own nicknames when they were unkempt every now and then. Amelia in particular was known for being a crybaby for wearing her emotion son her sleeves. But her hair posed a bit of a problem. Long as they were now, she would not only catch the wind as sails would on a boat, she would end up obstructing her own field of vision while working.

'Head Maid won't approve of it either.'

What the old hag would say aside, she didn't think changing things would even help her any. She was fine with the neat bun her hair could be put into. But there was still a slight curiosity that burned within her.

'Would _he_ say anything if it changed?'

A small amount of steam puffed out of her ears as she tried to forget what she just thought of. She was grateful to the Apostle already. As a commoner, she knew she shouldn't have thoughts like that. And yet, she couldn't help it.

"Ah, mou. What is wrong with me…" With her lower face covered, her amber eyes spoke to the mirror quietly. Though, the smiling face of her colleague she spotted on the reflection pulled the young maid back into reality. Looking to the door, she tried to stay as composed as possible. She failed. "A-A-A-A-Amelia-senpai! I-I thought it was y-your day off t-today?"

"It is, but I don't have much to do other than a little shopping in town." Waltzing into the room with a simple dress for a commoner, the older girl spoke warmly. "That being said, aren't you supposed to be ready by now, Iselda? Don't tell me. You were daydreaming about the Saint again~~~?!"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Breathing in deeply, Iselda composed herself and looked back to face her desk, specifically the mirror. She started working her hair into a ponytail but was struggling to do so as she forgot to brush. "I was just writing a letter to my brother. That is all."

"Hmmm. How is Leo-kun, by the way?"

Her attempts to ignore the teasing wasn't enough to dissuade her senpai's smile. But Amelia didn't push it. Surprisingly, the taller girl just sat down on her bed, adjacent to the desk Iselda was sat by.

"He's still working as a stable boy. He takes on more odd jobs now, though—ah!"

"Here, let me help you with that." Taking the girl's hands off her own tangled hair, the older maid made to comb it with her fingers before resuming their talk. "Your little brother's such a hard worker."

"He's just a busybody. He can't help but try to do his own thing whenever he sees people hard at work."

"Heheh, just goes to show you how much he's willing to support his family." Amelia chuckled as she straightened the soft curls out with her own fingers. "How would he react if he sees his dear onee-chan failing to take care of her own beautiful hair?"

In all honesty, Iselda neither liked nor hated her mop of a head. She just lived with it and its drawbacks.

Unlike her little brother Leo who's blonde head came from their mother, hers was just a subtle reminder of the father she never knew. Being a sensitive topic, and given their mother's current condition, the young maid didn't bother trying to care for it.

Opting to keep it to herself.

"Stop saying such ridiculous things, Amelia-senpai. Yours is more beautiful."

The long straight brown locks of her senior maid was an eye-catching thing. Despite Iselda needing to tie up her own, her senpai's hair was so tidy and well-kept that tying it down became unnecessary. The dark-brown head of hers gave a mature and motherly air that a large number of the male servants, and a few of the Apostles couldn't help but glance her way when she passed by. Iselda's was closer to orange. Partnered with her shorter height, she was like a child.

Too bad, the actual personalities were reversed in most cases.

"Aww~~~! Iselda-chan, saying that makes your senpai feels so happy!" Letting go of the younger girl's hair, Amelia proceeded to bury her face into the bush and snuggle into it while hugging her, much to Iselda's dismay. "I really am glad I was assigned to be your senior! I feel like an older sister whenever I'm with you!"

'Ah, is that so.' Iselda wanted to reply in a monotonous fashion. However, she decided against it. She knew her senior's affections were genuine. Having lived with the girl for so long in the palace, it was true that they were as close as sisters. Most of the other maids were as well.

But Amelia's case was one of the more sensitive ones.

"Are you planning on writing to him about what happened?"

"… No. Not in a letter." Iselda kept silent for a while before continuing. "Mother always asks Leo to read my letters as practice for his education. But my brother isn't a very good liar. She'll worry if she finds out. I… I don't want to burden her any further."

"Maa, can't say I know what it's like to worry a parent." Amelia's choice of words stung her slightly. "But even I wouldn't want to worry Iselda-chan with my troubles when you are already sick."

Her senpai's sympathy was well-appreciated.

Having only been accepted under the palace's employment due to her skill of healing magic, the orphan girl's salvation began and ended with the staff who gave her a home and a family. Touching on those affections was something that Iselda tried to avoid but appreciated it, nonetheless. There was no downside to having another sibling.

Except for the most annoying of circumstances.

"Senpai."

"Hmm~~? What is it, Iselda-chan?"

"If you mess up my hair any further, Head Maid will be asking questions." She felt her shudder from behind her as the senior maid quickly leapt to her feet and pulled out a brush from nowhere. "Then I'll have to explain as to why I will be late for my duties."

"D-D-Don't worry about a thing, Iselda-chan!" The cheery expression she wore as Iselda glanced up at her was so nervous that it betrayed her hidden fear for the old lady. "Let O-Onee-chan give you a hand! Y-You'll be ready in no time at all! Promise!"

"Haaah, fine." At Amelia's pleading green eyes, Iselda could only smile. "But please hurry it up."

The younger maid was then left to sit still as her senpai brushed and groomed her mane. All the while, the older girl continued to chat.

"So, when are you visiting home?"

"Next week." Due to her new job as a personal maid, she had more duties to fulfill than the norm. Recent events had pushed her thoughts on the upcoming day off back quite a bit. Still, it mattered little as she rarely went back home. "It'll be my first time back to Horaud in three months."

"Hmmm," tying up Iselda's mop into a ponytail, Amelia paused. "Oh? I heard that the Apostles were going to Horaud Town next week as well. Maybe you will get to ride along with them there!"

Iselda's ears perked up at that, but more for her curiosity that Amelia heard about such news.

"Where did you hear about that, senpai?"

"Hm? Oh, Alan-san mentioned it when I went over to the guardhouse to get my gate pass. He says the Apostles-sama will be venturing out for a little excursion in the Labyrinth." The older girl paused for a second, coming to a short realization before continuing to wrap up Iselda's hair into a bun. "Oho, maybe this is a chance for you to introduce your Apostle-sama to your family! Or maybe, you could have a little date! Explore the town during your day—ITA! That hurt's Iselda-chan~~~!"

The older girl was massaging her hand, the one that Iselda managed to pinch in retaliation for the joke. Iselda did so while pouting. Even with her back turned, the moment the bun was in place, the younger girl's fingers snapped to punish her senior for the rude suggestion.

"Please stop making such jokes, Amelia-senpai. Yamamoto-sama is not _my_ Apostle-sama."

"I never mentioned Yamamoto-sama specifically~~~Aaaagh, it hurts! Please stop! It hurts! Iselda-chaaaaan!" The cute pout she made was enough to entice Iselda to pinch her again. This time, she pulled on both cheeks until the older girl was close to tears. Releasing the crybaby, Iselda went back to her preparation. "Iselda-chan's such a bully. Onee-chan feels hurt, y'know."

"It's your own fault, senpai. Such words are disrespectful to Yamamoto-sama. Being our savior, we owe him our lives and respect for eternity. So stop dragging him into the conversation." Iselda paused for a moment before resuming, a little more silently. "Besides, I'm only a maid who is there to serve him."

"Is that really all there is?"

Amelia just rubbed her cheeks as she stared at her kouhai's stooped back. On the mirror, Iselda could see the older girl's emerald eyes make a sad expression.

"Yes," Iselda responded. "That is all."

Suddenly, she felt the older girl's same hands wrap around her shoulders.

"That's half a lie." Amelia's soft voice reassured her. "You may not know it, but I can tell when you're not being completely honest with yourself."

"What are you saying, sen—!" She was interrupted by the hug getting a little tighter, but just enough to be warmer. "Amelia-senpai?"

"As I am, I can't really say or do anything to convince you to be honest. But know that Onee-chan will always here for you. Just like you were for me at that time."

Iselda cupped the older girl's hand in her own. They were warm. Compared to the time they were put on 'trial', they felt comforting. Not cold or afraid of what's to come. Iselda felt reassured by her senpai's gesture.

In a way, Amelia was just doing what Iselda had done for her.

At the time, the older maid was already shook from having a nobleman harass her out of nowhere. Not simple harassment, mind you. Despite being married and already having a child of his own, Margrave Verdoben was the type of noble that Ehito-sama abhorred. The unfaithful and disgusting kind that forced his will upon his more meek and weaker fellows of the faith.

Amelia was one of the would-be victims, caught just as she was delivering more dishes from the kitchen to the hall. Her senpai was only able to escape the man's advances by the passing knight on patrol who noticed a disturbance caused by Amelia's thrashing and the crashing of one of the dishes. But even though she was free from the man at the moment, his influence as a noble was sufficient enough to have them both silenced by fear soon after.

That is, until the sudden news of poisoning. It was a confusing situation. Victims dropping left and right, unknown reasons as to why, the nobles in a panic, Royal Family being in danger. All of that and the news of her friend's assault was enough to throw any normal person into a fluster. Had Iselda been just another simpleton, she might have lost it then and there.

But she persevered.

From assisting Yamamoto-sama to making sure Amelia was fine and ready to help, she kept it together until the summons to the king's audience chamber. By then, Amelia was already nervous wreck. She had tried to assist Nagumo-sama to help the victims. Mostly to take her mind off things. It helped, if only for a little. To be suddenly called for an audience with the king, pope and prime minister present was the tipping point. Especially when the reasons for the order weren't made clear.

Speculations as to how the guests and servants got poisoned were already flying around. Food and drinks and whatnot. The nobles weren't exactly the subtle bunch when they themselves were losing control of themselves. Everyone was already nervous. The aristocrats that decided to embellish the rumors caused the majority of the servants and staff already in a frenzy to get really anxious. When they arrived, all of them were in cold sweat.

Then, the sentence was given. Enslavement and execution. Being told they were to be condemned with nary a chance to defend themselves, the faithful dropped in prayer. The rest were stunned with shock and horror at the Pope's dismissal, citing weak faith.

But her senpai, Amelia nearly cracked.

The blow was heavier for her who only knew the palace as home and her fellow servants as family. For the esteemed leader of their faith to suddenly demand their punishment was nothing short of a devastation to them all. Iselda couldn't even believe her own ears. They all thought that was going to be cruel end brought about by Ehito-sama's final judgement.

But there was the Saint who brought them hope and salvation.

Not only did he give them a chance to prove their innocence, with his wonderous and mystical magic, he guaranteed it. The circle had forced them all to speak the truth and only the truth, proving their innocence. But more than that, he didn't force them to answer questions too personal. Just like what he did with Amelia-senpai's case.

"I didn't do anything, senpai. Yamamoto-sama is the one you should be showing gratitude to."

The news was swift as many victims, as well as the guards he threatened to silence, of the former nobleman all stepped forward with the Prime Minister's investigation. The crimes of debauchery he committed coming to light, a few more on embezzlement within his fief, and bribery to not have the pleap fruit gifts inspected by an Appraiser, the man was doomed as soon as Yamamoto-sama demanded his judgement.

"For my life, yes. And for having justice brought upon that old pervert, yeah. I owe Yamamoto-sama a lot." Amelia's hand tightened as it grasped Iselda's own. "But the amazing Saint-sama wasn't the one to stay by my side through it all. So let me do the same for you."

"In what way, exactly?"

"Let me be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on. I've never had romantic feelings before so I wouldn't know how you feel right now. But even still, it must be hard on you as things stand."

Iselda didn't move to force her senpai off of her this time. Instead, she thought to herself about the context of those words.

"Your respect and gratitude to Yamamoto-sama weighs too heavily for you to just repay him with your service, no? If you were given the chance, wouldn't you prefer to give back to him with a more intimate solution?"

'Intimate. Romantic? Where these feelings I had stirring inside my chest such? Of course not. I've never been in love. Not once.'

She lowered her gaze. She knew she wouldn't know for sure no matter how much she kept it to herself.

Being a teenage girl who had always been focused with providing for her family, was just a year or so older than the princess herself, and never formed any sort of friendly relationship with boys around her age, romantic experience was nil. There was little chance for Iselda to even consider such feelings as simple infatuation. 'Romantic' was a word too far off than she would use to describe it.

Maybe reverence and respect to an Apostle. Loyalty and appreciation for saving not just her life, but the others as well. Fascination and wonder at his magic and preaching about the selfless god, Anima. A slight hint of physical lure, but she would never admit that last bit as anything more than inappropriate nonsense.

"I'm not sure if it is as you say, Amelia-senpai…" However, if it was… "But if you say so, then I'll rely on Amelia-oneesan when the time ever comes."

Iselda felt the older girl giggle a little before she was released from the hug. It was quite sudden that she failed to notice her own embarrassed expression until she saw it in the mirror. But after replacing it with her composed self, she noticed something else. Something that tossed her calm out the window.

"Senpai! What did you do?!"

"I thought that if you were going to change things up a bit, so I might as well help with that." Gone was the calm and heartwarming moment they shared, replaced by her senior maid's childlike air and smile. "What do you think? It looks good, doesn't it?!"

The bun was there. But unlike the neat and tidy one she usually had, this was a tad bit messier and had more whorls than necessary. Sure it was secure, but it seemed a bit gaudy for a mere maid. Then there was the bangs. Some strands were gathered together and bunched up to cover her forehead and trailed until they hid behind her ears.

In one indiscernible way or another, Amelia had managed to radically alter her plain hairstyle.

"When I went to assist some of the Apostles-sama, they also taught me how they styled their hair during the ball. So? What do you think? Onee-chan's an amazingly fast learner, no?!"

"This is going too far, Amelia-senpai!" contrary to the cheerful onee-chan, the normally composed imouto was frantic. "I thought you said you were going to help me fix my hair? Not style me up like a doll!"

"But it suits you~~~!"

Amelia squeed as she tried to go for another hug.

"I'm sure Saint-sama would appreciate you thanking him while your like this—Owowowowowowow! Give, Iselda-chan! I give!" However, the moment had passed as Iselda struggled back, one hand holding both her senpai's own and the other pinching Amelia's cheek. "What's the deal? If you really wanna thank him, why not do it with your cutesy self to show your genuine appreciation?!"

"That's out of the question and not the problem! Ah, mou! Fixing up this mess will take me even more time! What am I supposed to do now if Head Maid catches me being late?!"

"Oh, come on. It's not even against the rules! Go on, Iselda-chan! Nab him with your newfound adorableness before Liliana-sama can have a taste of his pleap—Gah! MmmMmMMMmmm!"

A pillow smothered her face. Glowing red from embarrassment, Iselda sought to both hide it and punish her senior by suffocating Amelia into her own bed.

"MOU! Why did I ever think you could be normal for more than a minute?! I swear, I—!"

"What's all this now?!"

The sudden interruption by the third person at the door brought Iselda's tirade to a stop. The habitual straight back that followed after unconsciously told her who exactly owned said voice. For the first time in the day, Iselda felt her innards flutter. Not for whatever feelings she had towards a certain someone, no.

This fluttering was the sign of her guts trying to force her to run.

"Not only is it too early in the morning for unproductive shenanigans, you dare to make trouble on your own day off? Explain yourself, Amelia!"

"Gah?! Head Maid?! I, uh, I'm—I was, uhm, Ahem—!"

The Head Maid stomped right into the room. Stern expression in place with her hands crossed under her chest. The pose was enough to silence the stuttering Amelia. And her close proximity allowed Iselda to see the old hag's features up close. Despite calling her 'old hag', it was more of an inside joke amongst the older members of the staff that they, as the younger generation, simply joined the bandwagon on.

There was also the fact that no one ever called her by name. Ever. Maybe it was a sign of respect, or that she observed a decorum of professionalism that prevented any sort of intimacy like personal name calling.

Nonetheless, she was really old. Maybe as much or older than the king, but the Head always had such an elegant face with light-bluish eyes. Greyed as her hair may be, they were still silky and silvery smooth, tied in a bun not too dissimilar from Amelia's blunder on her own head. Being a tad taller than her senpai, who was by far the tallest of the current maids, maybe even above Yamamoto-sama's own height, Iselda could only quake in her boots.

Or she would had she worn them.

The unprepared state she was in was enough to cause her a heart attack as she didn't know just how bad the senior maid would react. Fortunately, the old crone's attention was on Amelia, also standing in attention, however, more disheveled and supposed to be outside of the palace, not causing a ruckus. Unfortunately, Iselda was too stricken with fear, instilled by the Head Maid's strict training, that she didn't dare break posture.

'Ehito-sama, Anima-sama, Yamamoto-sama!' Trapped as she was, she could only pray. 'Please protect and guide me now!'

"As for you, Iselda." She very nearly cringed away and bowed for forgiveness, but the Head simply glanced warningly before eyeing the girl head to toe. "Pass on a message to your assigned Apostle-sama. He has been invited by the Queen and crown Prince for tea at the pavilion this afternoon. Inform Helina that Liliana-sama will go as well. You should find them all near the knight order's training grounds as the princess has gone to attend the Court Mage's lectures alongside the rest of the Apostles."

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Straightening herself up, she made to wear her boots and apron. Already in the black gown uniform, she was ready to adjust her bun. However, she paused. Not wanting to hurriedly disassemble what Amelia had made for her, she contemplated on what to do. To her astonishment, as well as awkward disbelief, another pair of hands assisted her. But they were too wrinkled to be her senpai's.

"This style work's nicely on you but be very careful that your messy front does not obstruct you from your duty." Pulling a wayward strand back to hide behind Iselda's ear, the Head Maid dusted her skirt down and nodded approvingly. A smile was still absent but her stern face didn't seem as cold as it usually was. "Good, now hurry up, child. You are already late for your duties as a personal maid."

"Th-thank you, Head Maid." Nodding her thanks, she rushed as fast and as composed as she could. She didn't want to ruin the rare help she got from the old— from her superior. "I'm going on ahead, Amelia-senpai!"

"Go get him, girl!"

Iselda ignored this advice as she disappeared down the hallway. Left behind with the kind old woman, Amelia sighed in relief before holding her breath at the realization of the situation she was currently in.

"Eheh, good morning, Head Maid. You seem to be in a good mood today!"

Contrary to her words, no sign of such good mood existed. The elder maid's face was void of all expression. Instead, it was a cold glare Amelia received that froze all further attempts to playing everything off as a joke.

"Inciting a fellow maid into an illicit relationship. With a servant of god no less. Haaah, must I use the paddle during your leave as well?"

The tone was void of warmth, and despite being posed as a question, it implied her punishment all the same. Amelia could only pray for Iselda's success by her reprimand's end. Otherwise, the ruined holiday wouldn't be worth it for the wannabe onee-chan.

* * *

_"… Obscure, as I command thee. Smoke Bomb."_

In one corner of the room, a gust of smoke gushed out from the activated magic circle. It was a strange sight for the small piece of paper to gush out so much of the grey cloud that the caster couldn't help but look over the thing until it burned into expended magic dust.

"So? Is the spread wide enough?"

The caster gave the boy a curious glance before shaking his head. It hadn't been that long so he still had yet to get used to someone other than Eichirou being fully aware of his presence. But Kousuke didn't mind the other boy's asking. In fact, he quite appreciated the help as he never had the talent for anything other than observation.

"This one's good for close-quarters. But I think I'd feel more secure if I had a wider reach as well. Maybe around," taking a few steps away from the epicenter of his first spell, Hajime noted the difference by using transmutation on the floor to make small bumps as markers before he jotted it down in his notes. "About this far for the outdoor version."

"Three-meter radius, alright. I got it."

As to why Kousuke was busy cooperating with Hajime, it was supposed to be a lecture period for the Apostles to practice magic. However, there was a slight change to the norm in that the otaku was made to join them. The reasons were pretty much obvious though.

"How're you holding up? Shouldn't you be resting a little longer?" His questioning didn't bother Hajime none while the boy resumed his writing and measurements. "Can't say I know what mana exhaustion's like, so I'm not exactly sure."

"I'm feeling fine, actually. When I woke up a few days ago, it felt like my mind was clear. Nothing heavy or painful. Just… clear."

At Kousuke's head tilt, Hajime struggled to find the proper words.

"It's like that feeling you get when you realize you don't have to go to school tomorrow. Or maybe like when you find out that your parents booked a surprise trip to Okinawa and you have the house to yourself."

"I think only you would enjoy the last one."

A jab at Hajime's otaku nature in enjoying the time alone. The boy wasn't offended, but then again, Kousuke sympathized in not wanting to go to a populous beach with nothing to do. Having such an invisible aura, the sun wouldn't even burn him. Practically just passing through him like he was made of glass, much to Kousuke's aggravation.

If an automatic door can't detect him, what's to say the sun would?

Ah, Kousuke felt slightly pissed now for even letting Hajime explain. Better change the topic.

"So, how does it feel? Getting to kick some ass, I mean."

Kousuke nodded a glance to the four pricks in the back of the lecture room. They had been quiet for the past few days. They joined training but kept to themselves. Perhaps, the shame of their bully victim getting the best of them humbled them a little. Or so anyone like Kouki would think. Hiyama had been sending an angry glare to both Hajime and Eichirou's backs every now and then.

Kousuke wasn't so blind to not notice the subtle hostility directed at his friends.

"Hmmm, can't say I actually enjoyed it." Hajime shrugged. "They were always bothering me before. But now, I actually don't notice them much."

Not since he became friends with Eichirou. A strange thing, Kousuke thought, what having friends can do for a person. Instead of being just a guy you can talk with or hang around with, Eichirou had done a lot to get Hajime on his feet. Being a previous offender to the Hajime's plight by inaction, Endou Kousuke had to concede that he was less of a man than Yamamoto Eichirou.

"Well, if you're alright now, then I guess it's fine. They deserved it too so…"

"I can't have done it without the support of my friends." Smiling, Hajime pulled out an item from his coat's pocket and tossed said item towards the observant boy. "Here. A 'thank you' present."

"This is?" Kousuke asked, sparing what appeared to be a deck of cards a glance.

"Eichirou told me you needed to up your tools since, being an Assassin, you needed more ways to make yourself less obvious. Since you were fine with the initial testing, this should do for now. 'We should give the ninja a smoke bomb so he can master the Shadow Clone Technique', he said."

Kousuke felt a slight annoyance at the jab to his insecurities and combat faults that only Eichirou could exploit. Being so thin, his presence was hardly noticeable until he called people out, but Eichirou was an enigma who knew where he was at all times. Saying he needed tools to be 'less obvious' was just the bastard's way of teasing 'I can see you'.

Kousuke didn't fault Hajime for being the messenger, however. He was just being nice as far as Kousuke's observation of the nerdy otaku went.

"I swear. I'm gonna get his ass back for this."

"You and I both know that's not happening until we master team-fight cooperation, Kousuke-kun."

Hajime simply chuckled as he sat back down on the floor with another batch of paper slips. Unlike the one given to Kousuke, these seemed blank. To prove it, Hajime took one out and started writing on it with something that resembled a pencil made out of rock. Probably something the boy made himself with the Transmute skill.

"So, what's this? Another little project you have going on?" Kousuke asked with a nod to the deck of blanks.

"No, nothing too serious." Hajime shook his head. "Eichirou and Break-san told me to take it easy for a now since I just got out. So I'm just going to be modifying the spell and creating some copies for you."

Kousuke noted the thickness of the deck Hajime had stacked next to him. It didn't seem that much. But when he accounted for the fact that the magic paper found in Tortus was thinner and lighter than normal sheets from Earth, as impossible as that sounds, it was a stack of more sheets than the standard four-suite decks. It was easily triple but only as tall as double.

"So are you planning on writing the new version on all of them?" Kousuke asked.

"… Hm? Ah, no, no. I wouldn't waste too many leaflets for one type of spell. The others or for different spells that Eichirou and I made based on the library's collection. Variation is best, after all."

Seemingly too engrossed in his work to further elaborate, it was pretty clear from the get-go that Hajime was the type to focus hard on things he found fascinating. His hobbies were an example. But as they were stuck in a place without the internet, magic replaced that. It certainly was interesting enough for him to almost forget that he was supposed to explain to the clueless Kousuke.

"Then, what kind of spells do you have in mind?"

"Well, just the basic ones." Hajime scratched the back of his head, a habit of his when he was trying to be humble. Or so Kousuke deduced. "There's the one I used last time, a modified Gust that temporarily makes a smokescreen with low mana requirements. Unlike Smoke Bomb that's a mix of earth and wind, it's purely wind attribute. With my stats, I can't really use more than one at a time, so Eichirou suggested using the modified version in case of emergencies. Then there's the Flashbang hybrid spell. But I can only use them one side at a time or forcefully lower the scale. Then there's…"

He droned on while Kousuke listened quietly.

Certainly, it was true that Hajime's aptitude for magic was pretty much nil. Unlike Eichirou's stats of super high magic power with nary a class to his name, Hajime was made to think outside the box. But Kousuke need not worry nor would he pity the boy ever again.

Listening further, there were more traps and distraction spells than direct ones. A few sounded a bit off like the 'Roaring Thunderclap', a wind-based spell that was the same as the Bang of the Flashbang hybrid, only louder, more deafening, and with a settable duration. There was also the 'Flash Freeze', an advanced magic based on the ice element that froze things on contact with a set surface area.

All in all, they sounded unassuming compared to the Hero's 'Soaring Wings' attack which was 'just an empowered sword swing' according to Eichirou. They also sounded a tad bit vague in terms of purpose. Sure, freezing things in place sounded useful, but what else did it do? Knowing the creator of said spell having a taste of the anime fantasy element of the otaku world, Kousuke could only wonder what Hajime had in mind when he made them.

Or what was going on in Eichirou's mind when he supported the idea.

"You're planning on writing all that down with that deck?" A tone of disbelief escaped Kousuke. "By hand?"

"Nah, that'll take too long." Hajime brushed the thought aside. "I'll just print them on instead. It saves more time that way."

Instead of asking how Hajime would 'print' them, Kousuke remained quiet and watched as Hajime touched to floor with one hand while holding the newly drawn spell with the other.

_"Transmute."_

The stone floor slowly moved and formed. The tiles moved about and around, changing in shape and structure until there was one thin slab of stone, cleanly cut into a flat square with the sides being half a meter long each and a thickness of about an inch, that separated from the mold. Taking said slab, Hajime repeated the process until he had five of them.

Without missing a beat, he raised the paper slip before his face. His eyes glared at the etchings he made of the magic circle, studying, memorizing it. With a hand to one of the slabs and the stone pencil he was using placed between his palm and the stone's surface, he invoked his skill yet again.

Kosuke watched as a part of the stone pencil shrunk away and was absorbed by the slab. In a matter of seconds, the tile had black etchings of the magic circle repeatedly plastered over it in a grid-like pattern. Before Hajime repeated the process with the others, Kousuke's eyes narrowed, already guessing what the boy was aiming for.

Soon, Hajime was done with the slabs. Lining a slip of magic paper over each circle, following the grid pattern, he then organized the slabs into a neat stack on their own before using his skill once more to press down on them. The light of his Transmutation skill and the oddity of his methods drawing more than a few eyes to their corner.

"You made a makeshift printing press with your Transmute skill. That's… that's pretty smart."

Hajime could only chuckle, abashed at the praise.

Kousuke observed as the boy's Transmutation worked wonders. The stone pencil that he was using a while ago was akin to that of a certain mineral from earth used in a common everyday utensil. Pencil lead. Despite being called that, pencils never used lead. It was the harmless but useful graphite, a mineral that was found easily back home.

As it was a mineral, Synergist Hajime had full control over its properties.

"Using a similar technique I did with the Gust spell, the graphite-like powder flows between slabs and papers. They alternate between each layer and move from the bottom going up." Hajime explained while he worked his magic. "Since I can move minerals at will, I thought I could make it flow along a premade pattern while I squeeze the paper down."

The sound of moving sand was all Kousuke could hear of the press. He noted the escape hole at the side of the top slab as the graphite escaped like a small river and flowed back through the hold on the bottom layer. After a while, Hajime stopped the process.

Taking the first tile off, the results speak for themselves. Each paper that was aligned along the grid pattern all had the magic circle uniformly inscribed into it. It was no different than actually writing it down. The only key difference that Kousuke noticed was that all the writings were uniform. Akin to a laser precision printer that one could find on earth.

"Here. This should be enough for emergency uses." Kousuke accepted the small deck offered to him. "I added a little more so you could practice it a few times as well."

"Thanks, Hajime."

"No problem. What are friends for?"

The boy then resumed his work. Inlaying different circles with the same method and repeating the process all over again. Unlike manual writing, Hajime's ingenuity allowed him to quickly progress through the tedious task faster than the norm. It was a testament to his hard work and training.

"Ohoho, so this is another use for Synergists that we have yet to utilize! Intriguing!"

"With such a method, there would be no need to have scribes waste away copying the same pattern over and over, right, Tear-sensei?"

"Yes. They could then be assigned to study the 'semantic shift and information entropy' theory Yamamoto-sama suggested."

Even the Court Mage and a few of the other instructors were dumbstruck and interested. Disregarding their current lecture, the mages and a handful of the classmates made to crowd in Hajime and Kousuke's previously empty corner.

"Can't all Synergists do the same?"

"Afraid not, Hatayama-sama. The most we have done with the Synergist class is refining metal and minerals for purer equipment processing and sturdier building materials." Speaking for the mages, Tear explained to the short Ai-chan who stood at the fore just between the class and Hajime's back. "Being a part of the non-combat class, we never really expanded upon their uses besides metalworking and architecture. The latter was mostly dedicated to Earth Mages as well, so even that is a minor role at best."

"Hmm, so even Meld-san didn't know what to do when it came to Hachin."

"Well, their technology is basically Medieval. I doubt they even knew they needed to invent stuff beyond what they already have when there's magic."

"Nagumo-kun, that's amazing!"

"Eh? Ah, no. It's nothing, really."

"No. I think the innovation is actually incredible!"

"Kaori, you're bothering Nagumo. Take a step back a bit."

"Thanks, Yaegashi-san."

Kousuke watched as his friends and classmates observed in awe and wonder at the embarrassed Hajime who tried his best to finish his 'printing' of the spells.

The exchange with Shirasaki was a new thing. Apparently, they had gotten close after the saving incident. It was obvious they would, given the context of Hajime saving Kaori's life. But it was still so far from the norm for her to approach him and not receive envious/seething glares that Hajime was not used to replying back.

Personally, Kousuke found this new interaction between them kind of amusing, if not hilarious.

Before, Shirasaki would randomly approach him out of what seemed like misplaced concern. But now, she was doing so with obvious gratitude and affection that the class knew to stop giving Hajime heat for her actions. Even Yaegashi stopped apologizing and started actively socializing with the guy.

Indirectly, this made Kousuke a mutual close friend of theirs as well as the others including Jugo and Ayako. But as he didn't really have personal feelings for either of the class idols, he didn't really care as much as he thought he would and just enjoyed Hajime's reaction to the dual bishoujo's attention.

Hajime didn't like it, but Kousuke sure as hell enjoyed the comedy.

From the corner of his eye though, he noted that Hiyama was getting even more frustrated that Hajime was getting attention. His own group's instructor had abandoned them to join the observing crowd after all. That, and there may be another factor. But as it stood now, Hiyama and the other bastards could only sit still and self-study.

Kouki as well remained a little off to the side where he sat with Ryutarou, practicing a spell but seemingly too distracted to even succeed in casting it. The brawn-for-brains Monk, on the other hand, just sat down meditating, not even bothering with magic.

For these two, Kousuke didn't understand why they stayed away from their usual company. Well, in Sakagami's case, it may have been that what Hajime was doing bored him or maybe he just didn't want to leave his best friend without company.

Kouki, however, was a bit lost. He sent glances towards the girls every now and then, seemingly lost in thought. Kousuke would have thought it jealousy before. Now though, it was… strange. Kouki had never looked so… clueless as what to do. He seemed conflicted about something but couldn't decide if he should speak up or not. In the end, he remained in his seat and attempted to cast a practice spell with some success this time.

Ever since the heated argument Kousuke spotted him having with his other friend, the de facto 'leader' of the class lost his confident aura. Right now, he looked just the handsome kid. All air of assurance and willpower was wavering.

Off to the other side of the room, said friend was busy and happily giving a lecture of his own to another group. Apprentice mages about their age, some younger, were joined by a handful members of the class like Yoshino and Tsuji. Most notably however was the presence of a newcomer, the princess, in that group. Kousuke watched as the young lady Liliana listened intently to Eichirou's words, maybe even more so than her fellow students.

She may have just been a hardworking student, but even the zero-romantic-experience Kousuke could tell that Liliana Heiligh was enamored by her instructor's words, if the gleam in her eyes was anything to go by. Her personal maid, Helina-san, who stood by would probably agree with Kousuke as well. Spying her from the sidelines, she formed a smile every now and then when Liliana shot her hand up to answer questions. The maid's smile turned into a sigh for every gleeful face Liliana made when her response was correct.

Whatever lesson Eichirou was teaching, it did not include the magic spell he had cast upon the girl.

"Yamamoto-sensei, I'd like to ask a question. If it's alright with you."

Approaching his friend as soon as his lecture with the mostly-Tortusian group ended, Kousuke noticed a roll of eyes as Eichirou's brow rose up sarcastically.

"Really? Ruina-san is one thing, but I don't want to deal with you as well."

"Then, could you tell me, sensei?" Kousuke took pleasure in how Eichirou's eye twitched. "Why did you accept being a teacher if you're too embarrassed to be called one?"

A sigh escaped his pal's lips. A shaking of his head as he turned to gather his materials was his initial response. While everyone was busy studying on their own, Eichirou's low voice was heard by the silent ninja and the ninja alone.

"It's kinda fun sometimes, you know." He smiled nostalgically. "I used to tutor my siblings and their friends before I came to Japan. It was nice and all, until their friends' parents started demanding I tutor their kids as a side job."

The look in his eyes was that of exhaustion or something akin to trauma.

"Ah, juggling lessons with actual tests was a nightmare. I quickly ran out of time to do my own thing. I honestly felt like I became an actual teacher whose only salvation was the short summer break." Hiding his face with his palm, he reminded Kousuke of those war veterans reminiscing something horrible. "But even then, I got swamped with tutoring requests and more that I couldn't even take a breather."

"I didn't take you for the instructor-type, Yamamoto-sensei."

A scroll flew into his face. Catching it, Kousuke peaked behind I, expecting another one. But all he got was a smile with a gaze aimed at the ground instead. His expression looked a bit sad.

"Our parents weren't always around, and the twins never really liked strangers coming into our home. So I volunteered to teach them. Granted, I wasn't the best. They had a few failed tests because of my inexperience. But it was a hobby I grew to enjoy. For the most part, anyway."

The sad smile remained as Eichirou's eyes were drawn to the students, slowly landing on Yoshino assisting the struggling Tsuji with drawing a spell as Liliana sat next to them offering advice.

"I couldn't really turn down Liliana's request when she and the teaching reminded me so much of home."

Which meant his friend only did it out of nostalgia and sentimental values. Something Kousuke couldn't fault him for even if he could tease the guy with it. It wasn't surprising, though.

There were times when Kousuke would wander off, take a tour of the palace on his off time and explore. Being so invisible, he could get away with mindlessly wandering wherever. It was an aspect of his that he exploited back on Earth as well.

Although, the fact that he couldn't even be detected by dogs and persistent charity workers was a good thing, automatic doors were a bit inconvenient when he needed to take a leak or was really hungry. Passing bikers, drivers, or even policemen was more of a danger hazard, sure. But the point still stands.

Even Kousuke couldn't help but do what he usually did when he was back home. His habit of wandering gave him a sense of catharsis. Seeing Eichirou as he was now, he could relate.

"Well, at least you're having fun. Thanks for telling Hajime, by the way." He said so while waving the deck of magic circles he was given. "I'll make sure I put this to good use. Stabbing you in the back, that is."

Referencing a ninja or assassin as a joke may have been somewhat threatening. But as it was Eichirou who he was giving the threat to, it was just a joke. Or a reference to getting even soon. Who knows?

"Eh, I meant it more of a prank—Gah!" Eichirou yelped slightly as a jab landed on his side.

"I know. What the hell is 'Shadow Clone Technique'? This better not be another ninja joke."

"Funny you should ask that—Gah! Hey! Enough with the poking! My Vitality doesn't match with your Strength, remember?"

"Don't worry about it. Your Resistance should be able to take the hit."

"That's not how that stat works!"

Eichirou hissed as he rubbed his side. However, Kousuke was hardly remorseful as he was always the butt of the jokes for the past few weeks. He was just getting a little payback since he could hardly match up to Eichirou in armed combat. A funny fact when the guy only had high magic and resistance stats and mediocre everything else.

'It's probably just the self-defense lessons he learned in Earth.' Kousuke decided attacking him when he didn't expect it was a better form of retaliation.

Huh, strange how he didn't think to try that from the start, being an Assassin and all.

"Yamamoto-sama?"

Standing at the entrance of the lecture hall, a panting maid called out to her charge.

"Ara, what's the matter… Iselda…-san?"

Unlike the usual Iselda, Kousuke noted her hairstyle change. The usual bun was now a bit messier, combined with bangs and a pair of locks that were pulled back behind her ears. All that partnered with her above-average beauty made her indistinguishable from the western models on fashion magazines sold in Earth's convenience stores.

By how Eichirou's question ground to a slow halt, Kousuke knew even he noticed the change. Not enough to be charmed himself, mind you. But enough that he hesitated until the tired maid straightened herself up before them.

"Forgive my rudeness for interrupting your lesson, Yamamoto-sama."

"A-ah, not to worry." Eichirou smiled and shook his head. "We were just finishing up. You seem to be in a rush. Is something the matter?"

After letting the girl catch her breath, she gave the boy her message. Unconcerned, Kousuke waited for the boy to respond as he himself stood by and observed his expression.

"I see. I guess this means my afternoon is booked by Her Majesty and Master Lundel. Thank you for passing on the message." The courteous smile he gave the girl caused a slight blush, though ninja observer attributed that to Eichirou's passive charm. "You should take a seat and rest while I tell Liliana-sama and Helina-san about it."

"Oh, no, please!" The maid protested. "Such a thing, please do not trouble yourself, Yamamoto-sama. It is my duty to—"

"It's fine, Iselda-san. Take a breather. It wouldn't do for you to collapse before the day even ends." With both his hands on her small shoulders, he sat her down on the nearest chair. Giving her a smile, he nodded to Kousuke before turning towards Ayako's direction near the back of the hall, where Liliana was currently doing a demonstration. "Oh, one more thing."

At his words, the sighing maid turned curiously.

"That change of style suits you. It brings out more of your womanly charms."

Kousuke did not miss the steam that escaped the young maid's ears. Nor did he fail to see the reddening cheeks she tried to hid by turning to face the front of the room. Being invisible to most, Kousuke was practically privy to the girl's embarrassment. As was Eichirou's confused look at the attempt of a compliment.

Maybe, to him, it was strange to get the cold shoulder after praising her change. But Kousuke knew the words were super effective. The fidgeting of the maid in her seat only accentuated the critical hit he scored.

'Seems like it's not only the princess he's caught in a spell.'

Unable to say anything lest he embarrass the girl further or confuse his friend, Kousuke sighed at the guy's natural playboy appeal right as he spoke with Liliana. He managed to get a blush just by speaking to her, a surprised face as she listened to the message Iselda passed, then an eager yet childish expression as soon as he asked to escort her to tea later.

Sure, as a Princess, Liliana managed to get herself composed and formal once more with her signature poker face. But there was no denying that for a second, she broke character. Something only Kousuke, Helina, and the ones seated next to her noticed.

The cause of the problem merely gave his formal thanks, claiming it as an honor before bowing and turning back to return to Kousuke's side.

"So, a special date with Liliana-sama, eh?"

"No such thing. Luluaria-sama merely wants to have tea with her children and invited me along as a formality to check on her children's well-being."

"I thought the whole poisoning business was already sorted out."

"Yeah, it was. But Luluaria-sama is quite the worrywart over the kids. She insists that I do regular checkups every now and then ever since Lundel-sama got a cold just after the incident."

The informality of his words might've upset the Tortusians or maybe draw attention from the Church, but to Kousuke, it was merely proof of Eichirou's closeness to the family. A vague proof that may be misunderstood by anyone else, but Kousuke could tell that Eichirou was still keeping the Royals in arm's length.

"Isn't she overreacting a bit over a little cold?"

"Not when a recent incident nearly took their lives," Eichirou shook his head. "As an older brother, I can sympathize with how she worries over her children. I wouldn't put it past her to try make me become a permanent physician if anything else ridiculous happens to them."

The way Eichirou brow furrowed as he sighed told the silent boy that it wasn't simple frustration of being tied down that worried him. It was within the Queen's right to worry about her kids, but if it ever got to the point that her worries intruded on Eichirou's personal life out of necessity, he wouldn't be able to do any research or study Tortus' magic.

"But there's nothing to worry about. I've been monitoring Lady Liliana and Master Lundel's condition with the help of the court physicians and nurses. Given time, Luluaria-sama should calm down and all of her worries would blow over. Once that's done, I wouldn't be needed to report to her every so often while we have tea."

So he says, but then again, Eichirou was the only Apostle to ever have the honor of dining with royalty alone. King Eliheid always ate dinner with the classmates when he could, but he did so with them as a group. As the Apostles. Not a single one of the other Earthlings ever did so as the King's friend.

Even if Eichirou was doing all that under the guise of reporting on their health, he still spent more time telling the Crown Prince stories and taking breaks with the Princess than he did socializing with the other classmates. A fact that Ai-chan-sensei always tried to address but could not convince the others to converse with the guy.

Well, other than Jugo, Kentarou, Tsuji, Yoshino, Hajime, and Kousuke himself, very few even tried approaching. They all kept their distance as if he was some sort of celebrity they didn't know how to talk to. In Hiyama's posse's case, he was avoided like the plague. But that was already a fact even before Hajime kicked their ass.

Back to the uneven treatment by the kingdom's top brass, besides once, with Kouki accompanied by the Pope, not one of the so-called Apostles ever got the honor to be called in for tea by the King or Queen. For that matter, the ministers all considered them children so no contact there.

There was one that approached Hajime. Kousuke remembered it was around the time he was injured. A minister by the name of Decorose. It was surprising to see some old man apologize to the guy, but after a while, the man just gave Hajime a box, wished him well, and was off. Of the thirty or so classmates, only two ever got a real conversation going with the king's officials outside the political mumbo-jumbo of their disaster of a welcome party.

In summary of Kousuke's observation, Eichirou was the strange exception by his close ties to the royals and ministers, the animosity between him and Ishtar, as well as all he had achieved ever since they got here.

Thinking of the basic template his little sister's RPG games went, Kousuke considered the drastic difference of treatment between Eichirou and the rest of the class.

"Makes me wonder who the real 'Hero' is…"

"What?"

"Just talking to myself," Kousuke merely smiled and chuckled at Eichirou's bewilderment.

Keeping the thought to himself, Kousuke resumed a casual banter with his pal all the way until lunch break. As the chance to talk about trivial things was rare, he might as well enjoy it until the guy was whisked away by the crushing maid and overly-attached princess.

Left with nothing else to do for the day, Kousuke decided to wander the palace a bit more.

* * *

"This… 'Semantic Shift' you say? It is quite an interesting theory, Eichirou-sama."

"I agree as well, mother. Magic lessons have become more fascinating now that Eichirou-sama took interest in developing it further."

_"Your praise honors me, Luluaria-sama. Liliana-sama."_

A short nod while my cup was once again refilled by the ever-prepared Iselda. The girl's new hairstyle looked cute as can be. If I could be a little honest, I wished to test doing the same with my own hair at least once.

'Don't even think about it.'

Sadly, the grouchy owner was having none of it. He was my host, therefore, his word was law. Or so it may seem.

_'Just make up your mind already if you don't want me thinking like a normal girl would.'_

Being sentient but not bound by the same laws, I believe I had the right to disagree or show some displeasure.

'I will soon. But don't get distracted. Especially when you're addressing the Queen!'

_'Fiiiiine!'_

Tea with the royal family was becoming a routine affair. A fact that Eichirou was getting annoyed with. I could tell since we live in the same body. It's not that he hated to socialize with them. But rather, he wanted more time to deliberate on Eliheid's request.

Fortunately, I was there to take his role for the day. Or longer. I wouldn't complain if he decided to kickback for a month or more.

'Ahem. Still here.'

I audibly sighed as I tried to focus according to Eichirou's complaints.

"Is something bothering you, Eichirou-sama?"

_"Not at all, my Lady."_ I made my best polite impression. The princess didn't seem to think anything was off so I guess my acting did well. _"I was just feeling a bit more relaxed after taking a sip of this tea. The aroma reminds me of peppermint yet the taste is closer to that of green tea."_

"Are those a sort of herbs in your world, Eichirou-sama?" The Queen seemed just as interested as her daughter. I guess they had a lot of interest in Earth and just decided to ask us now.

'More like they're using it as an excuse to keep us here.'

_'I thought you needed time to think? You're wasting it again by talking to me.'_

'…'

With his silence, I took that as him going back to do what he was supposed to be doing.

_"As a matter of fact, they are, Your Highness. Warm drinks such as these are enjoyed by many of the commoners on Earth. Those in colder climates similar to Heiligh in particular."_

"There are places similar to the Kingdom?!" The way the princess' eyes popped open as she asked revealed more of the child she truly was. A simple 'ahem' from her mother, however, had the young girl returning to composure. Sad, but she needed to keep up appearances for her mother's sake after all. "My apologies. How unladylike of me."

_"Please, no need to be so harsh on yourself, my Lady."_ I gave her a smile, the same that Eichirou would, and casually resumed the conversation. _"On my travels, I visited many places that resembled Heiligh in a few or so ways. Based around a sacred mountain site, large agricultural lands, even having such abundant choices of tea flavors. In my world, there are tens of countries with such similarities but varying cultures to boot."_

Liliana's eyes shone with interest while Luluaria observed her child with a disproving smile. To wear her heart on a sleeve may have been something she was trained to not do. But when it came to chatting with Eichirou, in this case, _me_, Liliana was an open book.

"Eichirou! Eichirou!" Her brother, on the other hand, had no sense of formality at all as he dashed towards my seat with childish excitement. "I did it! I did it! I managed to cast the wind spell 'Flowing Breeze'! Just like you showed me!"

"Kora! Lundel!" His sister, though, was having none of it. "You have to remember to show respect when addressing Eichirou-sama! He's an Apostle, you know!"

"I could say the same about you, my dear daughter." The Queen reprimanded her child. But doing so while hiding a smile behind her fan told me she was merely teasing the girl. "Despite being a reverential Apostle-sama, you've been clinging to him all day long. Hora, like you're doing now."

Snapping her paper fan shut, she pointed out Liliana's small hand which clung to my sleeve. I had already noticed her unconsciously done so as she spoke to Lundel across my other side. Looking at the cherry red face she was making, it was obvious she didn't even notice what she was doing.

"I-I-I'm sorry for my rudeness, Eichirou-sama!"

I found it hilarious. The girl had grown attached to the guy in less than a month and yet her fumbling about made for such an amusing show. Truly, teenage romance was a wonderful form of entertainment. I could see why Eichirou enjoyed Sumire's shoujo manga.

_"There's no need for such formalities, Liliana-sama." _Turning to the Queen, I added._ "It may seem presumptuous of me, but there's no need to reprimand her for such. I trust Liliana-sama didn't mean any harm or disrespect in anyway."_

"But for me to cling to Eichirou-sama, such an arrogant behavior is—"

_"Liliana-sama, while I appreciate your respecting me as an Apostle, I actually preferred it if you chose to treat me like your friend." _Grasping her hand, I stared deep into her eyes._ "Your gentleness reminds me of my family. Being so far away from and unable to contact them, I doubt I could have lasted long if not for the kindness you and your family had shown me."_

"No, I was… merely doing my best."

Slowly, she took her hand back and plopped into her seat. I didn't need to see her expression to know she was glowing red. Giving the trio the maid's a clueless smile, I played it off as not understanding Liliana's reaction. Lundel was 'similarly' confused while the Queen and the maids bought it.

His memories on acting where coming in handy.

'Don't make it worse, Mia. As it stands, the princess' attraction to me is the last of our worries.'

_'At least let me have some fun while I play you.'_

'Your 'fun' could hurt the child's feelings! Enough. Or else I'll put you back here.'

Well that stunk. Recently, Eichirou and I had been testing this two-minds-one-body thing out. We realized we could swap out whenever, but in most cases, Eichirou could forcibly swap in with me while I was in control. Supposedly, it may have been on his authority as it was _his _body to begin with.

In any case, I didn't like that threat being enforced. It would take away from my free time with having a real body, after all.

_"Lundel-sama, it seems Liliana-sama is feeling a bit under the weather." _I turned to face the youngest child._ "Would you mind showing us your new accomplishment."_

The boy turned to face the open air of the pavilion. The garden was splayed before the boy as he chanted slowly, getting the words properly and carefully as he swished the wand I borrowed from the mage's training equipment and altered with a weak wind spell.

_"Stream as I direct, move like a river, be still as a draft, yet free to roam the sky! Fly, as I command thee. Flowing Breeze!"_

The air that escaped the wand's tip flowed steadily and down onto the floor. Slowly following Lundel's waving, the small current flowed across, dragging loose or fallen leaves and flower petals into the air. He played around with the wand like it was a ribbon streamer baton. The wind and its passengers followed suite, dancing in the air and trailing after the tip of the wand.

Given a minute, Lundel managed to neatly pile up all the loose leaves and petals into a circular ring around him as he slowed his waving and released the spell. With a smug look begging for praise, I acceded and gave him an applause, as did his mother, sister, and the maids.

_"Wonderful concentration, Master Lundel. With such talent, and a little more practice, I doubt there would be a spell you won't master in the future."_

"But only if you keep practicing, Lundel. You shouldn't neglect training no matter how talented you become."

Liliana's words were drowned out as soon as he heard me speak. My complimenting him alone was enough to have the boy dancing and cheering for joy. The child he was on full display seemed to please the Queen as well as the minorly ignored Liliana.

"Liliana, I think Lundel's magic training should begin in earnest." I guess teaching him some tricks was a good thing if he was going to be the heir to the crown, at least, by the Queen's approving smile. "Such a talent should not go to waste."

"I agree as well, Okaa-sama." Taking her mother's cue, Liliana stood up and approached her little brother. "Lundel, do you want to join me in magic lessons from now on? It should be less boring than having only general studies and knightly exercises, no?"

The kid was more than jubilant. He was celebrating like there was no tomorrow. By his eager insistence, Liliana was dragged away a little further out into the garden to demonstrate the spells she already learned from her lessons. Maybe he was hoping to see more amazing magic. Or maybe it was just his curiosity of wanting to know his sister's current skill. Going by Eichirou's memory of his own siblings, the boy was exhibiting signs of the former.

"Haaah, such children." The Queen sighed as Helina-san poured out tea for her charge's parent. "I do apologize for the display, Eichirou-sama."

_"As I said, no need to worry, Luluaria-sama."_ Speaking for Eichirou, I shook my head and smiled warmly. _"I'm not bothered at all by their antics. If anything, they remind me of my own siblings."_

And oh do they weigh heavily on Eichirou's thoughts. So much so that it was hard to go to bed without him checking the family photo every so often. Even I would fall asleep just by looking at their picture for so long.

'What're you getting at?'

_'Nothing, jeez.'_

"You must miss them so," the Queen snapped both of our attention to her. A sad expression took over her but was soon replaced by a dignified and regal one. "As a mother, I feel guilty of having torn you away from your cherished family."

_"Haha, Luluaria-sama truly is Liliana-sama's parent."_ I chuckled along with Eichirou as we both agreed on that point. _"It's an honor for me to have heard it from Your Highness, however, my Lady Liliana-sama has already told me the same. I see where her thoughtfulness comes from. In addition to her beauty."_

'Ey, ey! Don't hit on the Queen, you idiot!'

"You certainly do have a way with words, Eichirou-sama. I can see why my children enjoy your stories. As well as your company." The Queen herself smiled and chuckled in response while I returned the grin. "I see. My daughter's already grown so much."

Luluaria paused for a few seconds. Her gaze was directed towards the two now practicing a water-wind hybrid spell Eichirou designed to create bubbles. Waiting for the Queen to continue, I remained quiet with Eichirou doing the same. Finally, she looked to me warmly and spoke with a dignified air.

"I have to thank you, Eichirou-sama."

_"For what, if I may ask?"_

"You have not only saved my children but helped them grow as well." Her eyes moved to the two playing around again. "Liliana was always the hardworker ever since she was small. As her mother, I was always proud to have been blessed with such an earnest and gifted child."

A sigh escaped said mother's lips.

"But I was afraid she wouldn't stop or slow down to enjoy herself a little more. I was afraid she would grow into a princess who never had time to live her childhood happily. I have you to thank for opening her heart up even a little. To fun and other things as well."

_"Lady Liliana has done all of that on her own. I have nothing to do with her growth—"_

"Let's not mince words, Eichirou-sama. My daughter wouldn't have gotten this far had it not been for your presence. Please take credit for your achievement."

The knowing smile Queen Luluaria gave me was akin to an obvious secret. I politely returned it with a clueless and questioning grin even though I knew it was true, but I could feel Eichirou facepalming inside. I could also feel his embarrassment at what he'd done by accident.

"Lundel is a special case, however. Did you know that I nearly lost my son many times before the poisoning incident?"

That… was news to me and Eichirou. Shaking my head, I listened intently.

"Lundel was born sickly. He had just learned to talk and he'd already been infected by some unknown disease. At the time, we dearly prayed to Ehito-sama for guidance. We were given salvation though Ishtar-sama's healing magic. It happened a second time when he was just five years old. Had it not been for Ishtar-sama's healing once again, I truly thought I would lose my child. However, he said it would be the last time he would be able to save my baby boy."

Being just a voice in his head, I wouldn't really know how that feels. But judging by the emotions I could sense from Eichirou, he sympathized. In a way, I could emulate and understand her point.

"Because of that, I tended to spoil my son. I allowed him to do what he wanted, for fear that if I changed anything, he would have been put in great risk once again. As a mother, I was afraid."

The corner of her eyes were moist. She was sincere.

"But then that dreadful poison made its way into the palace and Liliana collapsed."

Her brow furrowed. The regal face of the Queen replaced by a mother in distress.

"I had truly felt despair take over my being. 'If not Lundel, would I lose Liliana instead?' so I asked myself. I tried to remain calm with my husband's support. But after realizing what the cause was, I sunk even deeper knowing my boy wasn't safe. When Ishtar-sama stepped forward to intervene, I almost believed that Ehito-sama had abandoned my children."

I closed my eyes. I could feel the Queen gaze in my direction as I listened to her cracking voice.

"But you saved them. You saved my children."

_"I did nothing, Luluaria-sama. It was by Anima's grace they be saved."_

"Regardless," she shook her head. "If it wasn't for your involvement, I wouldn't be able to remain sane at all. I wouldn't be able to enjoy tea like this with my family. For that, I thank you, Eichirou-sama."

She was already tearing up. I would have offered a handkerchief, but Helina beat me to it by handing her own to the Queen.

_"I may have had a hand in saving their lives. But that does not warrant much, in my eyes."_ I made a face that Eichirou would have in this situation. A sad smile aimed at the ground, trying to be humble. _"To save their lives was something I thought to be the norm. I did so because I believed it was the right thing. Not for Your Highness or Eliheid-sama to bow your head so."_

"Such words, even though your becoming a part of their lives has changed them for the better. Your humble nature is truly a character to behold, if you don't mind my saying, Eichirou-sama."

_"No offense taken."_

In the silence that followed, I glanced over to the garden. The two children were now finishing up their bubble play as Liliana moved on to barrier magic. From where I sat, I could see Lundel taking great interest as his sister showed a variant of the Pentashell spell, the Trishell.

"Liliana aside, your stories have touched my son to his core. He has shown more interest in things like magic and knight training. He claims he wishes to be a greater hero than those of your stories. In particular, he wishes to surpass the 'Idealistic Copycat'."

'Oh god…'

Eichirou verbally, mentally, reacting was enough to keep me listening. Another thing he did at the spur of the moment managed to cause some form of unintentional change in another of the Royal's children.

"I've only heard the general summary from my Liliana after you told the same story to her as well, but to think such a fictional character would inspire Lundel to change from the simpleton he was to an 'Ally of Justice' from a mere story. As a mother, I feel slightly peeved that you've done more to raise my child than I have."

Her expression of a teasing smile was enough to make Eichirou exude regret within us both.

'I do apologize for that.'

_"I do apologize for that."_

Voicing out his words, the Queen heartily chuckled.

"You are forgiven, Eichirou-sama. In fact, I should be grateful you've accomplished what I, a mother who only managed to spoil her son, couldn't do."

The children were smiling, laughing. They were having so much fun, it seemed the past incidents happened so long ago. The Queen's glances at them showed a mother's calm. Luluaria was content with observing her kids. But there was a hint of envy within.

_"What I've done is not perfect, Luluaria-sama."_ I decided to remedy that fact. _"Lundel-sama is still but a child. He will need his mother's guidance, no matter his current goals in life. No one can take that honor away from Your Highness." _

Just giving her a nostalgic smile, I thought back to the memories Eichirou had with his own siblings and felt what he did at the time.

_"As an older brother, I know this to be true. It is by Luluaria-sama's right to have that sort of happiness raising her children and watching them mature even further."_

"My happiness aside, what of your own, Eichirou-sama?"

_"Hm?"_ 'What?'

The question caught both of us off-guard. We weren't expecting an inquiry as a response.

_"What do you mean, Your Highness?"_

"While I do appreciate your thinking of my family's happiness, I have grown concerned as to what Eichirou-sama has been doing as of late." Gone was the motherly warmth, once again replaced by the regal dignity of a Queen. Changing faces was a talent I had to give her credit for. She really was Liliana's mother. "How goes your research on finding a way back to your world?"

A heavy gloom assaulted my core. It wasn't me but Eichirou who was feeling down from that statement.

"By your expression, I can tell it's not progressing as originally expected."

_"Just a minor setback, Luluaria-sama. I'm sure I will find a lead soon. It's nothing serious."_

'It is serious.'

.

.

.

Well, yeah.

It was causing anxiety that Eichirou very much shared with me via our mental bunk. With my state, it was amplified so much that I decided to take a break or nap whenever he decided to go back to the library.

Most of the time, I wished there would have been some lead or factor we missed and could find soon. More in wanting him to cheer up as opposed to actually finding one. His souring temperament was stifling me by the day.

"Forgive me for saying so, Eichirou-sama. But it appears to me that you haven't done enough to achieve your goal."

_"Eh?"_ '?'

"I understand that you've been staying cooped up in the library for your research. But as someone who has gone through that entire collection since I was just Eliheid's fiancé, I can guarantee that the Great Library of Heiligh does not contain all the knowledge in the world."

I would have been shocked had I not known about why.

Despite it being similar to the libraries of old in Eichirou's world and magic to preserve them like the modern era's tech, there were still factors like neglect, censorship, and more. Their contents might've also been outdated while some could be falsified reports and research data.

The mere fact Eichirou and I had manipulated Tortusian magic in a way different from following the textbooks was proof that some knowledge was lost to time as traditional methods overshadowed innovative study.

_"I am aware of this problem, Luluaria-sama."_ Admitting the truth was the only choice. Saying otherwise would make us sound immature or in denial. Can't have them thinking depression got to Eichirou's head._ "I have been for some time already."_

"Then, knowing this, Eichirou-sama, would you truly wish to remain perusing through the countless tomes instead of other things?"

_"What might you be suggesting, Your Highness?"_

I knew what she was trying to say. Eichirou did as well. Clear as day. Considering what we were currently deciding upon and the position of who was currently asking, it was pretty much spelled out for us.

"Would it not better suit Eichirou-sama to find more information outside of the palace? Perhaps, by—"

_"Exploring the Great Orcus Labyrinth, is it?"_ Interruption may be rude, but Eichirou had already instructed me what to say if this was brought up. Though I disagreed, it wasn't my body, therefore not my decision to make. _"Luluaria-sama, though I appreciate you doing this out of goodwill, that option is still not something I wish to take. With insufficient information about the Labyrinth available, going there would be the same as walking blindly into a forest."_

Details of the Orcus Labyrinth were vague. Cave systems and traps were nice and all but only if they were fully explored, mapped out, quarantined, disabled, etc. Eichirou had a lot to say about it. Despite enjoying spelunking with his family in the past, diving into the unknown was a big 'no'.

'If you think I'll willingly walk into a deathtrap, think again.'

_'But if it's the only way to find a clue—'_

''No' means 'No', Mia.'

I internally pouted. The cave systems were something I would like to see in person. That and a many other things from Eichirou's memories. But ever since my, as he calls it, _inception_, I hadn't been able to witness anything new other than these cold stone walls and dreary floors. The gardens were nice and the sky so free. But as I didn't own this form, I can't do anything to change the status quo.

I was practically caged with only his eyes as my windows to an open world. That sucked. SO BAD!

He was already cautious about the lack of details. A mention of monsters completely shut it down as his anxiety multiplied. Exponential for myself even though I was still curious and wanted to know more about this world.

Eichirou wasn't a coward. He just didn't like taking unnecessary risks.

'After all we've found out about this world through their shoddy books alone? I disagree that walking into a hole filled with beasts that hunt humans is even remotely a sane idea.'

It wasn't just the books that clued him in.

From the training style the knight order had been drilling the classmates in to the simplicity of the magic being taught by the mages, there was a clear hint that the enemies those techniques were supposedly used against were considered simpleminded and basic prey. Quarry that one can take down given they work together, stay calm, and hit with their hardest attacks.

This also clued them in with how simplistic the adults were taking the kids from Earth. Giving them a weapon and speed-leveling them to be able to his as hard as someone who trained for years in a matter of just days. It was enough for Eichirou to think the gap in culture was a major factor.

'They fight for survival in a world where monstrous beasts are the norm. We came from a place of peace. Telling them to kill animals may be easy, but none of these kids have ever gotten into a life-or-death fight with a fellow human being or something that is smarter and more dangerous than a rabid dog. Even if the knights were there to watch our backs, we'd still be risking ourselves by going into the Labyrinth.'

Was his explanation to me beforehand. It was pretty much a logical observation on his part and something that I agreed with.

They were all children given power buffs but not the experience or discipline to wield them effectively. There were a handful who got the gist of what they would be facing and how to carry themselves. Sadly, that handful didn't even include a third of the group, further putting Eichirou firmly against going.

In the end, it was all for naught. My dream to explore the outside of the palace, it was just that. A dream.

"Eichirou-sama." Luluaria snapped me from my silence. Her eyes were warmer than I noticed. Like she was pitying me. "I wish to confirm something. Please, be honest with me."

_"What is it you ask of me, Your Highness?"_

Despite sounding more like a personal request, I still had to follow protocol and treat her like royalty.

"Finding magic to open a path between dimensions to request aid from your world is your goal, yes?"

_"That is correct."_

"Then, if I may be frank." I didn't expect the words that followed. And neither did Eichirou or the maids. "That goal is merely your official statement. In truth, you wish to return to your world and be free of the responsibility of saving Tortus."

"Eh?!" "?!" _"?!" _'How did she—?!'

Iselda was pouring me tea as the Queen spoke. Before she knew it, my cup had overflowed and nearly spilt off the saucer if not for her quick recovery. Her shock remained, however. Helina, like me, didn't say anything. Her expression, however, was worried. More for Liliana's sake, I could guess. The maid was like a second mother or older sibling to the princess. It was obvious she would be worried for what the princess would think if she heard her dear Eichirou would want to leave everything behind for the sake of returning.

I stayed quiet. Expressionless. I slipped up by flinching at her words, but I remained calm and steady. But there was another who's emotions were going haywire and was on high-alert. The only reason I was still in control was because he was too stunned at Luluaria's perceptiveness to even jump back in control.

"Your silence is telling." Satisfied, she took a sip of her tea. "I apologize if I may have offended you. But I assure you that I do not wish to blame you, tell you off nor inform anyone else about this. By all rights and as an Apostle of a world above our own, you are entitled to such an action."

I took a sip as well, composedly ignoring the pool of tea that collected on my saucer.

_'It wouldn't do to lose focus here, wouldn't it?'_

'No. It wouldn't.'

_'Then, how should we proceed, Eichirou?'_

'Stay in control. I… I'll give us away… if I face her as I am now…'

Noted. The moment the Queen stated the truth, I felt Eichirou's heart start beating erratically. Being found out was bad. But it was a good thing I was in control to keep his expressions in check. Mostly.

As soon as I received his instruction, I calmly replaced my teacup back on the saucer. The maids didn't say anything, but I could feel Iselda's eyes on my back. It felt like she was trying to deny it by willpower alone. A shame. The girl deserved a real hero.

'Not us.'

Breathing in as if to agree, I faced the warm expression of the Queen head-on.

_"How long have you known?"_

"The moment you told me my children remind you of your own siblings. The sadness in your eyes reminded me of my own feelings when _both_ were about to die."

The Queen's gaze didn't drop from mine. But I could feel Eichirou facepalming at the realization. Perhaps I played him a little too naturally that I gave away his thoughts at the time I said as much.

"Please forgive my revealing this. I only wished to understand Eichirou-sama, so that I—"

_"You are forgiven."_

"—Ah? Might I ask, why?"

_"Because it's the truth." _Iselda held her breath. Helina remained silent but directed her eyes to the floor. _"Revealing truth is not considered a sin. The only thing to be judged here is you intentions. You wanted to understand why my stance runs counter to your earlier suggestion, correct?"_

"Yes, that is correct." Her expression remained true.

_"Then, knowing my true motives now, do you understand the reason why I do not wish to go to the Labyrinth?"_

"Your survival takes priority. You wish to return safe and sound, not for your sake, but for the family that must be worrying for you."

'Dammit…'

_"Correct."_ Eichirou didn't object, but he cursed the insightfulness of the Queen. _"Some may call it cowardice, others selfishness. But if there's one thing I'd rather not do, it's to die in some godforsaken world without my family ever finding out the truth."_

"You believe Ehito-sama has forsaken Tortus?!"

_"Please, calm yourself, Luluaria-sama. In my world, it is an expression we use to describe a place where hope is nowhere to be found. I'm not referring to your deity's lack of aid or proper guidance."_

'But it might as well be.'

His side comment was only for the both of us to hear. Being kidnapped by a deity wasn't exactly what one could call 'proper aid' therefore, it stuck. But to these people, Ehito was their hope. To take it away from them was the same as spitting on their face. So a sense of propriety should be observed.

_"Regardless, my family is above your world in terms of priority. I would rather return their half-dead than not at all. At least, they would have something to bury."_

"The way you put it, Eichirou-sama, have you already planned for what should occur after your own demise?"

_"Would you prefer leaving this world without a word to Liliana or Lundel? Or Eliheid for that matter?"_

The woman's silence was telling. She sympathized with my words. Though her expression was now that of great concern. Even the maids stopped breathing for a good two seconds.

'To be fair, I know my way of thinking is somewhat excessive when it comes to my own family.'

_'I highly doubt her expression is just because it was 'excessive'.'_

"Ahem, Eichirou-sama." Collecting herself, Luluaria straightened her sitting posture and returned her eyes to mine. "I will not see your love for your family as cowardice or selfishness. As a mother and wife, I know what it's like to worry for your children and husband. Like you, I want to prioritize their happiness over my own."

Her smile grew sad. Her once stern eyes were now afraid.

"But do you think your mother will wish the same from yourself?"

I felt something twitch. I didn't notice when, but I felt Eichirou's fingernails dig into my right palm. I didn't even know how that started, but the moment she stated the words 'your mother', Eichirou went dark. My mind was empty.

It was as if I was alone.

_'Eichirou?'_

"Do you think your siblings will want you to live a life of insecurity and fear?" Luluaria continued, oblivious to my plight. "Do you think they would want you to remain still and waste away without even taking a chance?"

_'Oy! Eichirou?!'_

"From where I stand, Eichirou-sama, you don't seem to be as happy as you let others think. You keep your worries to yourself. Letting them stew within. All the while, unable to share your true feelings, you wallow yourself in anxiety and distress."

_'Eichirou!' _His fingernails were close to drawing blood. A new emotion was seething within me. Something deep and heavy, amplified even more into my own head as a silent sound. Yet, he still remained unresponsive while I struggled to stay calm. _'Why won't you answer me?! Oy!'_

"As someone who was saved by your actions, I wish to offer my opinion. As a mother who worries for her own child, I only ask that you consider it."

Her pleading face was blocked out as I covered my face with trembling hands. I managed to pry the clenched right grip open, but the hand refused to stay calm without something to grab onto. It settled for the upper half of my face's right side.

"And what, pray tell, would that be?"

I didn't even notice when we had swapped. One moment, I was feeling the heavy weight drag me down, now I was afloat and a passenger once more. Eichirou was still seething with an unknown emotion. Neither his nor my memories told me how it came to be. It was a blank all over again.

Just like the time after the trial.

"My suggestion is to go further beyond the Labyrinth." Her smile that I could see from between his fingers sent a warm feeling into our chest as we both basked in her motherly gaze. The heavy feeling wavered slightly. "Your options are not limited to just the palace and the Labyrinth. Tortus is vast and it's people numerous. We may seem primitive to an Apostle such as yourself. But I can promise you, there will be something out there that none of us would have expected."

"Hmph. You wish for me to form an attachment with this world." Eichirou scoffed but did so with a smirk. "You wish for me to change my mind and decide to give my all into actually helping you over abandoning your kingdom?"

Quite a deceptive tactic. But it wasn't bad. If Eichirou had a reason to stay, not only would he get off of his depression, he might even choose to pour all his effort into their salvation.

"If I may be frank, Eichirou-sama, I'm only saying this much because I wish for you to be happy." That wiped the smirk off Eichirou's face. "You have given me another chance to be a mother. You have saved my family. Asking you to save my people as well is something I don't have the heart for. I'm not my husband."

Her dignified yet humane expression certainly was conveying her affection as a parent. Even as a mere voice, I could tell her words and intention were genuine. Eichirou did as well.

"It feels shameful for me to keep demanding more from you as an Apostle. You may have done a lot for us, but that doesn't mean I wanted for you to continue doing so."

I couldn't look away. Eichirou didn't either. But he wasn't convinced. Guessing the same, Luluaria turned to face her children once more. Both Liliana and Lundel dropped the magic lessons and were already playing around the garden, enjoying themselves.

"From what I hear about your stories from my husband and son, the core moral sometimes involved doing what one believed to be right and just. Not relying on god or waiting to be given salvation, but by taking the first step on their own." Her eyes returned to ours between the finger slits. "It is my personal belief that letting Eichirou-sama do something for his own sake for a change is justified and correct."

"… I…" was speechless. We both were. Her genuine honesty was intoxicating. The way she was beaming like the sun, despite being a mere human sat on a tea table, Luluaria was genuinely acting like a true mother would and wishing us well.

"You have done my family a great service. If you wish to explore the world of your own volition, for your own purposes, I will support you and make it happen."

Meaning, she would be okay if we decided to forgo the Labyrinth for less hazardous means. As long as she knew Eichirou would be satisfied with the method.

"You do realize this goes against what your husband, or the Church, wishes, correct?"

"Repaying my children's savior is something I wish to do myself. The Church was only ever involved with intervening and my husband has the responsibility of the kingdom. Ehito-sama would surely agree with me that this is the right path and task that I have given myself. I will consider it done until you yourself are truly happy, Eichirou-sama." Tracing the edge of her teacup with a finger, she lifted it and emptied its contents before settling it back down on the saucer. "I owe it to you and your family for what you are and what you've done for us. And also, as a mother, I wish to scold you on your perspective."

"Huh?!"

"No parent would ever want to hear their child talk of death and bodies to bury. More so when that child is talking about their own I'm sure your siblings would say the same." For a second, her eyes turned stern before warming up once more. I really thought she resembled a mother, even if such a person was absent from Eichirou's memories apart from his stepmom. "Refrain from ever doing so again. It would not be just your family to grieve your passing."

Her gaze briefly returned to the children then back to us. We both understood the hidden meaning. Eichirou nodded as the Queen, satisfied, decided to stand up. He tried doing the same but was stopped by Luluaria's hand to his shoulder.

"Please, Eichirou-sama. Stay and rest a little while longer. Take this time to contemplate on my words as well as my husband's. Decide on one or both. It is your choice." Her smile turned serious once more. "But please, promise me your decision would be made with your best interest at heart. I do not want you to stay as you are. Not after all you have given to me and my family."

Perhaps it was his memories of hi stepmom, or maybe the common sense he grew up with on Earth. But looking at the woman, at the mother before us, I could feel sadness from her expression besides the concern. It was like she saw Eichirou as more than an Apostle.

To me, it felt… strange.

"I shall see you at a later date." Curtsying, Eichirou could only nod back. He thought that if he stood, Luluaria would push him back into his seat. She then turned to face the maids. Whispering something inaudible to both me and Eichirou, Helina gave her a nod before stepping back with her head held low. "Until then, not a word to anyone about this matter. That goes for _both_ of you. This is a personal affair between Eichirou-sama and I."

Her tone dropped several degrees that even I felt the chill.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, Your Highness!" "Understood, my Lady."

"… Good."

Two maids quickly nodded in affirmation with Iselda in a slight panic. Neither left their stations. They remained awkwardly standing as Queen Luluaria disappeared back into the palace with a few escorts meeting her partway.

No one else remained at the pavilion except for us and the maids. Any and all guards were too far away from earshot and the royal children were still having fun.

The silence was awkward. Iselda continued to pour tea for Eichirou every so often, but her gaze remained largely on the teacup and avoided his eyes. From the corner of his eye, I could see her neutral expression falter ever so slightly. Helina was the same, except she periodically sent a glance towards Liliana. The gloomy look on her face was enough of a dead giveaway to her similarly conflicted feelings.

Perhaps, Luluaria chose to expose Eichirou's true goals to these two for a reason.

I could guess Helina was for Liliana's sake. Being the princess' aide as well as her caretaker, it was obvious the Queen wanted to make sure that Helina at least was aware of Eichirou's situation. The girl's attachment to the guy was basically a detrimental factor. If she were to find out, she would be heart broken. But if her feelings were imposed on the guy, he would be burdened.

Knowing that Helina was more on Liliana's side, she would have to control or stop Liliana from delving further than she already had, for both her and Eichirou's sake.

Iselda, on the other hand, was Eichirou's aide. If she was made aware to what plagued her charge, she could better assist him if needed. But the way the girl was reacting, she knew she had to perform her duty as his caretaker but may have felt conflicted in aiding someone who didn't want to help save their world.

I wouldn't know what the girl would feel about this other than being bewildered.

Honestly, the situation was so messed up that even I felt like I had a migraine. What was the word Eichirou used to express his frustrations again?

_'Fu—!'_

'Don't. Say that…'

_'Shi—?'_

'That too…'

_'How else am I supposed to vent then?'_

'… … … take over for a second…'

Doing as I was told, he relinquished control over to me. Our body slumped ever so slightly and I leaned over the table to play it off as being tired. Once there, I felt a hand ruffle my head. Strangely enough, it was my own right hand that came to give me a head pat.

_'This is… not what I was expecting…'_

'You want me to stop?'

_'… no.'_

To the others, it might just seem like Eichirou was scratching his head while he thought to himself. To me, it was a strange sensation, being touched by someone who wasn't myself. It was a hand of the body I inhabited, but the intention didn't belong to myself. It was a new experience. Not the kind I wanted, but still.

My frustration seemed to wane slightly.

The time passed us by in relative silence. Left with nothing to do, I decided to ask him after nearly an hour had gone by.

_'Do you think she's telling the truth? About not telling anyone else?'_

'… Most probably…'

_'What if she tells the king? Or Ishtar?'_

'… Then we run… Or fight… Either way, Luluaria's serious about wanting to help us. And unlike Eliheid, she's pointing us in the other direction compared to Ishtar.'

_'What should we do?'_

'What we should have from the beginning.'

_'Which option do we take?'_

Eichirou remained silent for a several minutes.

The King wanted for us to assist the others in power leveling. It was for safety against would-be assassins like the demons and maybe a little artifact hunting if the Labyrinth would actually have some hidden in its already explored floors. With the information Eichirou gathered stating that the floors only maxed at a hundred and about half had already been explored, Eliheid may want to rush it to find anything that would boost the Kingdom's arsenal.

Going in there to maybe find an artifact for interdimensional travel or control of space was the selling point for Eichirou.

The Queen had suggested we not do the Labyrinth and find another way. Simply put, she didn't care about the Kingdom's military asset deficit. She just wanted to find a way to repay Eichirou. As she already surmised his reasonings and knows the risk Eichirou didn't want to take, Luluaria opted for an excursion to anywhere except the Labyrinth. As a Queen, it was irresponsible for her to say so. She was putting her people on the line. It was basically treason for her to even suggest that.

But maybe, her guilt of having someone save her family yet not being able to meet his own weighed too heavily for her heart, prompting her to at least give Eichirou a chance to find a way out.

This gave Eichirou two paths to consider. Whatever he decided, I would be forced along for the ride.

After a while, Eichirou's thoughts spoke to me.

'… No opportunity should be wasted… I've decided.'

_'But the Labyrinth has the highest of risks' _Being a sentient voice in his head, I picked up his decision even before he told me. _'I thought you said you didn't want to take it?'_

'Risk or not, we need to do what we can. I've been staying idle here in the palace for far too long. Magic training or no. I haven't accomplished anything to help _my_ agenda. All I've done is draw the Church's attention and may have caused a crack between the theocracy and monarchy. Whatever I do from here on out, I _will_ have enemies.'

_'This wouldn't have happened… had you chosen to stay quiet from the very beginning…'_

'… … yeah… I know… But do you think I would be alright with accepting their orders when I knew what I was getting myself into by saying 'yes'?'

No.

That much was obvious. I had gone through his head so many times while he slept. I had seen a majority of his memories, shared a lot of his experience, though in passing and not living through them. He had always stayed true to what he wanted. Be it to have fun with his family, pursue his interests, or to stay out of trouble.

If I were to describe it, Eichirou lived life of his own free will.

His decisions were selfish and sometimes exaggerated or excessive, but they were never forced upon him. Anything he may not have wanted to do, he had to be convinced by someone else. Someone close. Otherwise, he would stand firmly against it, preferring to remain on the sidelines, indifferent to whatever may happen.

A life driven purely by his own will, not altered or dragged around by anyone else.

How envious.

_'You could've chosen to remain indifferent even when the children and servants were in danger. Had you not been involved in their saving, you could've avoided getting Ishtar mad at—'_

'I told you once before, Mia. I'm not abandoning those close to me. I'm not—!'

Hesitation, then silence. I felt a twinge within. Something that was neither anger, dejection, nor fear, but an amalgamation of all three. It soon dissipated, but the impression it left remained. It was a horrible feeling as I received it tenfold.

I decided not to probe into what he would've said. It was better to not poke into his memories too much. Despite being able to share memories and experiences, there were gaps here and there. Gaps I was sure were something I didn't want to touch.

If they caused him this much pain, I don't want to know what they would do to me.

_'But… are you sure…? There's another less dangerous option, Eichirou... Wouldn't that be more appropriate as a first choice?'_

I was still skeptical. I may have wanted to explore the outside world as this place was a bit stifling. Being isolated in someone else's head and only seeing what he saw more than annoyed this inner urge of mine. Regardless, Eichirou made his point to go through with his decision.

'Even if it _is_ dangerous, I can't just sit around and wait for things to happen, Mia. Going with Luluaria's option first is dicey. Not just to me, but her and her family as well. The Church would be really curious as to why the sole reluctant Apostle who refused to fight decided to go out and explore the world.'

_'Can't you just make up an excuse?'_

'Without actual cause? No. If I said I wanted some information from outside the kingdom, I wouldn't be surprised if they offered it to me censored or watered-down. Staying put leaves me under their palm.'

It was very much obvious that Eichirou was still skeptical of what info was made available to him. Apart from the magic, which he was able to test and confirm its validity, their history and culture was judged by what he saw. This applied to what they stated with their religion and views on the other races or political entities.

They were supposedly the true religion in the world. Eichirou thinks it's overexaggerated. Why else would they be in conflict with groups that didn't believe in their own and still not win?

They were the supreme race above all else because they could use the blessing of god. Then, what did that make the demons who could do the same but even better?

The magic lessons they teach was inefficiently static. An otherworlder like Eichirou had went against their traditional use of it that had been going on for around a thousand or so years, but he still managed to use it in a way that defied their logical understanding.

There was a huge lack of information and a large amount of bias. As Eichirou had feared, ever since he got here, the Church had a tight noose on how the people think and had been controlling them for so long, it may have been for centuries if not more.

As someone who could openly view his memories, I knew what he did and didn't like the situation we were in either.

'Leaving isn't any better though. Declaring that it's to help with the war effort is just too ambiguous without evidence or proof. Rather than 'helping', they might call it 'running away'. Supporting my departure is the same as saying she backs me in my escape more than she does in aiding the war against the demons.'

True, no sane pope would just willingly let what amounted to a divine asset leave their watch. Even if he didn't like Eichirou or want to keep him around, killing him off or just letting him go would make Ishtar not just a fool. He would be an idiot. The risk of a runaway Apostle was too much of an oversight that whoever did it would be labeled as the most stupid person ever placed in a high ranking position.

No one would ever let an all-powerful tool out of their sights. Ever.

_'So you would consider Eliheid's option as… the better of the two?'_

'Somewhat,' he seemed doubtful. At least, that's how I felt his emotions ripple. 'With everyone with us, we have safety in numbers. If I say I may have found a lead outside the palace, then it could be used as a viable excuse to get out of this hellhole. At any rate, I can delay risking Liliana and her family.'

It appeared Eichirou had made up his mind. Despite the idea always being present as a last ditch option, he always hesitated in leaving the safety of the palace. I couldn't fault him. I too thought that leaving was a scary thing. It was just that my curiosity of the outside world trumped my fear.

Regardless, it wasn't about me but Eichirou's indecision.

These recent events had been pushing his stress to the limits, but now was not the time to remain idle. If he wanted results, he needed to step up his game. Risks and caution aside, he wouldn't find what he was looking for by staying here.

And neither would I.

Relinquishing control to me, I spoke for the both of us.

_"Iselda-san."_

"What is it, Yamamoto-sama?"

The maid nearly jumped out of her spot. Truly, her new appearance was adorable in its own right, but I couldn't help but feel sad for the trouble we must be bringing her. Despite the short time I've existed, empathy was something I knew well. Eichirou felt the same after all.

_"Please prepare a message to Eliheid-sama for me."_ Her hazy eyes seemed to widen in shock. She was quick to understand. Or maybe my making Eichirou's serious expression caught her unawares. _"Tell him I shall accept the invitation to the Great Orcus Labyrinth."_

* * *

**_And here it is._**

**_A little early (or late if you wanted one last week), but I have a presentation to do tomorrow, so I can't do anything but focus on that. :(_**

**_Also, internship requirements compel me to be busy this entire week. I could do a chap for next week, but it would become even more of a hassle if internship hours start getting recorded. So, no, I will not attempt a mental breakdown by forcing myself if I can't make the time. Sorry about that._**

**_Anyways, I decided to take someone's advice and split this off from the next incident which will center around Horaud, the Labyrinth, and the aftermath. I'm sure it'll be better than mashing it up with next chap's first scene as continuity will better serve a more free-flowing plot._**

**_The last bit here with Luluaria may have been a bit of a woozy as I did that in the late hours of Saturday… Or was it early hours of Sunday? Either way, please forgive that if I made some errors. Note it down if you need me to clarify some points. :3_**

**_Shout out to CodeTalker69 (nice :3) for making a TVTropes page for this fic. I didn't know such a hobby existed nor did I know it could bring a smile to my face until now. Thanks!_**

**_On a final note, holy crap. The amount of people following this story has grown. You guys are weird but amazing. XD_**

* * *

**_Minor rant._**

**_Kouki gets flak for being what he is. Some people say he's like the spear dick of Shield Hero. I disagree and say it's reverse. For all three, not just the one. Let me briefly explain._**

**_Spear prick is like Kouki in that he is egocentric and wants to please everyone, but only because he craves attention. He _**was **_killed by his ex-gfs, cheating on multiple girls simultaneously. If that isn't an attention whore, I don't know what is. (Kouki is often portrayed in the web novel as an attention seeker and will feel annoyed that the focus isn't on him at important times.)_**

**_Sword baby is basically the stubborn, thickheaded jackass part that refuses to change his mind. Even though this dude takes it all like a game, it's just in his nature to be persistent. Kouki _**is persistent**_, but only because he believes he can do no wrong. (Mind you, the guy has a warped sense of right-wrong and sees the world in black or white.)_**

**_The all-mighty, absolute JUSTICE and expectations to be thanked goes to the last one, Bow bitch, since being in the RIGHT was his shtick, even if he was doing so for the glory and not the actual justice part. (The only difference between him and Kouki is that he _**thinks**_ he can be a hero by doing it Assassin's Creed style, e.g. "I save people but don't say it's me, therefore glorify me for I am a true vigilante hero!". Kouki prefers the obvious spotlight and still expects gratitude.)_**

**_This is just my little piece on Kouki though. A victim of neglect and parental/friend's ignorance. He may be a little shit, but I actually pity him more than hate. _**

* * *

**_Credit to dragonngo for suggesting and advising me to reedit the Luluaria segment for clarity reasons and minor details._**


	10. Chapter 10

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 10: Similar Trip, Different Happenings**

* * *

Despite the sun having just crested the horizon and the cool morning air lulling most other passengers to sleep, the girl wearing a thick traveling coat failed to even yawn. Sitting next to an old lady and her snoring son, Iselda shifted her seat on the first of the four wagons in the caravan, quietly staring at the breaking dawn sky.

"What's got ya stayin' up, missy?" The wagon driver asked over her shoulder. "A bit too early fer a child yer age to be fully awake."

"It's nothing, sir. I'm fine."

Giving the man a polite nod and a fake smile, the man took it as such and turned away. Even he, a stranger, had the sensitivity to not pry. Instead of pestering her further, the old man went back to calling a stable boy to work on the horses. Said boy wasn't immune to the morning drowsiness as even he stumbled before managing to get to work brushing the horses as they fed out of a trough.

They were still waiting for the wagon train to be filled. Yet only two of the four carriages had people. The rest were crates and barrels being loaded on by other stable boys and laborers.

'I wonder if I should buy something for Leo and mother on the way home…'

Seeing the stable boys at work, Iselda thought about her own sibling who worked the same job in Horaud. As it was her day off, it had been decided she would take a trip back. But because traveling to Horaud Town from the capital city would take up to half a day at best, a day and a half at worst, Iselda opted to save her off days and use them up for an entire week to enjoy her time back home.

Only, her thoughts were a current mess to even consider enjoying a short nap, let alone her first time home in a while.

The cause? It was a meeting with a certain queen not a few days ago.

* * *

KNOCK KNOCK

"Luluaria-sama, we have arrived."

A soft 'enter' was heard on the other side of the door and Iselda's senior maid, Helina-senpai, opened the door with a polite greeting to the Queen of Heiligh.

"Pardon the intrusion, your Majesty."

"Pardon the intrusion."

The Queen's study was more of a parlor than Princess Liliana's office space. Less books, more flowers. More paintings of the Royal Family decorated the mantle of the fireplace. Notably more of the children than parents. Tea tables and couches at the center with a large closet to the side. On the wall hung the largest mirror Iselda had ever seen and knew would cost a fortune a simple maid as her would never be able to pay back.

Just across from the door where a desk would normally be placed, like Liliana's office layout, a comfy chair with the owner of the room sat comfortably.

"Don't stand around on my account. Please, sit."

"Understood, ma'am."

Helina-senpai immediately did as she was told and took a seat on the long couch adjacent to Queen Luluaria's own. It may have been because Helina was used to being before the Queen's presence, but she didn't hesitate, unlike Iselda.

"Don't make me repeat myself, child. Sit."

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

Once sat, she feared to even look in the Queen's direction. The old, yet beautiful woman simply nodded to her attendant before turning back to the seated pair.

"Now, what would either of you like?" Iselda had to pause and glance at the woman for a few seconds before she understood the question. Fortunately, Luluaria-sama added to that with a smile. "Tea? Water? We have something called 'cookies' as well. Liliana learned the recipe from one of the Apostles-sama and made some with them during her free time."

"Tea will be fine, your Highness."

"I-I as well… your Highness."

"Are you sure? Liliana's 'cookies' are delicious. You should have a taste."

Had she not been on guard in the presence of the reigning monarch's wife, the young maid would've called the boasting expression the adult wore cute. A mother speaking proudly of her child was not something you saw every day. More so when said mother was a queen.

The pair had to concede at the Queen's insistence they try her daughter's cooking. As soon as the queen's attendant returned with a plate of the snack, the smell struck Iselda first. A sweet aroma unknown to her nostrils had caused her stiff expression to waver slightly.

The 'cookies' were sweet to the taste. Some were a little salty and hard, but at Luluaria-sama's suggestion to try a bite while sipping tea, Iselda's expression melted with pure bliss. Her guard completely shattered.

"Leave us for now," Luluaria dismissed her attendant without Iselda ever even noticing. The sweet and salty mix in her mouth had distracted her far too easily for the maid to even perceive that only the three of them remained in the room. "I see you're enjoying it. How is the taste, child?"

It took Iselda a few moments to realize she was being addressed, another moment more to straighten herself out.

"I-it's delicious, your Highness. I've never tasted a-anything like it before."

"I'm pleased to hear that." A genuine smile was the queen's response. "I'll be sure to tell Liliana you enjoyed them." Turning to her fellow maid, the Queen's smile turned into a tease. "What about yourself, Helina. You don't seem surprised after tasting such treats. Don't tell me… you snuck a nibble before me while my dear daughter was still learning."

"Not so, your Highness." The maid's composure remained steadfast. "I've merely sampled one from Shirasaki-sama's failed initial attempts to recreate the same dish. Compared to this one from Liliana-sama's, the Apostle-sama's had a more… intense… flavor. Your Highness has tasted Liliana-sama's attempt before I have."

"Hmm, and? How does it fare compared to the Apostle-sama's?"

Helina sighed softly as she sipped the tea set before her.

"It's… delicious… more refined than I initially expected. Perhaps it may be due to Shirasaki-sama's inexperience with the local ingredients, but Liliana-sama's cookies have a certain… charm to it."

"You agree with me, I see. My daughter's done her best yet again."

"Yes. Yes, she has, your Highness."

The strange exchange between maid and queen about the princess was a bizarre sight for Iselda. Not that she hadn't been privy to more outlandish sights before. She'd seen magic performed by novices that far surpassed the Court Mage's. She'd witnessed healing magic that not even the priests of the Church could perform cure an incurable poison.

Such were the experiences she'd faced beforehand. And yet, despite the person responsible for the two examples before causing much confusion in her heart, the nonchalance shared by the two ladies over a teenage girl's cooking was like watching two mothers sharing praises for their children.

When said children was a single child, it made the spectacle all the stranger as they seemed to share motherhood over Liliana-sama.

After sharing a laugh, the queen finally got to the heart of the problem. All amusement and casual air was gone, replaced by the dignity of a Sovereign.

"Now that the two of you are relaxed, I believe it's time we talked about this morning. Is there anything either of you would like to ask first?"

Neither responded. That didn't mean they didn't want to. In Iselda's case, hers pertained more to the Apostle's reason itself. Specifically,

'Why tell me about his reasons at all?'

She had been in deep thought about what had occurred earlier that day. Not that it got her anywhere. The 'why' was completely lost on her as she didn't even think she had anything to offer to Yamamoto-sama. Even if she did know of his side of the problem, what would a commoner like her be able to do about it?

"Why did you not tell Liliana-sama about it first?" Helina questioned first. "She's the closest to Yamamoto-sama and would most likely want to know what troubles him. Why have us maids aware of the Apostle's situation first before the one most intimate with him?"

An obvious question.

With Helina's composed expression directed at the queen, Iselda couldn't see her face clearly as she sat to Helina's left. Though, the way her senpai worded it, Iselda felt that she was disappointed or upset. Like she'd rather let Liliana-sama deal with this personally. Iselda was just guessing, but it seemed like Helina-senpai wanted to push Yamamoto-sama onto Liliana-sama.

That thought sent a twinge through her chest yet again. But unlike that other day, it was accompanied by a sense of doubt.

'What is this feeling?' Iselda asked no one but herself.

"It's as you said, Helina. My daughter is the most intimate with the Apostle-sama." Luluaria-sama didn't seem offended or anything at all by her senpai. Instead, she kept her poker face to the maid in question. "But it is precisely why I can't just let Liliana know."

"Eh?"

"Liliana is but a child. Despite how mature she may act, how hardworking she may be, my child is still a child. This will only hurt her more than anything."

"Forgive my rudeness, your Highness," Helina made to scold but didn't stand. "But please, do not underestimate Liliana-sama. Despite how young she may be, she's—"

"Still a child." The Queen's voice cut through like ice. "I'm not doing this because I believe she can't take it. I'm doing it because Liliana is not ready for such a news just yet. Despite how she carries herself, my daughter is still disillusioned by naivety. To tell her the noble Saint-sama just wants to leave would not only ruin the trust she placed upon him, but also shatter that innocent dream she carries within her heart."

The Queen sighed, a gentle smile forming right after.

"I appreciate the trust you have in my daughter, Helina. You've raised my child and watched her grow for so long that you're practically an elder sibling to her. She trusts you and loves you just as much as she does Lundel, her father, and I."

Iselda noted that her senior maid's hand touched the crimson-jeweled brooch attached to the scarf around her neck. It was the only deviation from the normal maid's uniform. All this time, Iselda thought it was used to denote her rank as the Princess' aide. But with the stiff air around her senpai, Iselda guessed that it was more important than that.

"But as her mother, I don't want to risk ruining the childhood she has finally started to enjoy."

The Queen stood up and walked towards the fireplace. Her gaze drifted from the maids to the portraits of her family on the mantle. Her smile was one of pride, but Iselda saw sadness in her eyes.

"My son will be the new king once he reaches adulthood. My daughter has studied and trained herself to ensure that his rule won't fail. But in doing so, she has hardly spent the time being the child that she is." She turned to face Helina once again. This time, it was a face of determination smothered with motherly concern. "I do not wish for my daughter to endure the same path as I have. She will not be required to be a queen. Even if she may be wed to some noble for political gain, she need not be bound by the same chains and responsibilities as I was trained for when I was but a child."

"But if Liliana-sama finds out that I knew before she did, it would make it like I betrayed her—"

"Then make sure she never finds out. I do not want to protect her peaceful days with lies either. That is why I prefer it if we never brought this up to her until she or Eichirou-sama is ready. Be they to join hands in marriage or part ways forever."

Simply put, a pact of omitting the truth. It wasn't a lie, per say. But it still felt… wrong. At least, the young maid girl felt so. If her own mother were to do the same to protect her, she would feel hurt, betrayed.

But she wasn't Liliana. So what was said didn't bother her as much as it should have.

"To answer your second question, I made mention of this to the two of you first because of your current positions."

She walked back to the tea table, but instead of sitting down on her comfy chair at its head, she sat directly across the two maids. All emotion had been wiped from her face. She was back from being a mother to a queen.

"Helina."

"Yes, your Highness."

"You are Liliana's aide. Therefore, you have the power to protect my child by keeping this information from her. She's a perceptive one, that girl. If I was able to see Eichirou-sama's true wish just by observation alone, she will as well soon enough. As you are someone she trusts, she will come to you for advice in one way or another." She placed a hand on the maid's own. "I know I can leave this matter to you. Keep her oblivious. But I also urge that you remain a bit more neutral."

For a brief moment, the dignified face cracked a teasing smile.

"I know that you've been egging Liliana into wooing Eichirou-sama. I can tell you only did it due to my daughter's lack of self-confidence. But if Liliana wants to push, let her do it on her own when in front of Eichirou-sama. While you keep her away from the truth, I suggest you only assist her from the shadows. It may trouble Eichirou-sama. However, if my daughter manages to give him a reason to stay, it would be for all the better."

Iselda's eyes widened at that statement. Luluaria-sama was willing to use her own daughter to have Yamamoto-sama stay. It was true that he could be made to change his mind. But to have her own daughter take on that role without her knowledge?

Even if she was doing it for the kingdom, it seemed a bit too… manipulative.

"Don't look so down, Helina. Not telling Liliana is more out of respect for Eichirou-sama's privacy. At the very least, you need not feel guilty for betraying her when you are still helping her in your own way. I only ask that you keep the secret with my intentions in mind."

"… … … understood."

Contrary to the usual assertiveness, Helina seemed to deflate under the queen's gaze. Perhaps she just wanted the best for Liliana. As someone who had been her aide since she was young, she most likely had grown attached to the girl. Using the girl for the Queen's plan was just something she didn't seem to be comfortable with.

To Iselda, it seemed to be the natural course for her senpai to remain where she was, assisting Liliana-sama with this new awareness.

But then, where did that leave her?

"Iselda."

"Y-yes, your H-Highness?!"

With the woman's gaze locked onto her, the young maid tensed up immediately. Having her name known by the queen was supposedly odd as she was just another commoner, a nobody. And yet, the eyes of the queen seemed to shine with knowledge. Like she knew everything and anything about her.

"Calm down, child. I'm not going to punish you. Rather, I have a question for you."

"Eh? W-what is it you wish to know, your Highness?"

"Knowing that our dear Apostle-sama prioritizes on leaving more than he does saving us from the demons, are you still willing to remain as Eichirou-sama's aide?"

'Did she?' Iselda didn't know. At first, she thought she might want to quit. But the thought never lingered much on her mind as it did her other question. "I apologize for responding to your question w-with one of my own, your Highness… but…"

"Speak your mind, child."

The Queen merely nodded, awaiting her inquiry. Seeing the woman's patience, Iselda took a deep breath and asked.

"Why is it that you chose me? I understand Helina-senpai's position as Liliana-sama's aide is essential, however, I am merely a commoner."

'What did I have that made me special to Yamamoto-sama?'

She would've continued thus, had the queen not started giggling.

"Eh? Ah? Was it something I said?"

"Yes, child." Controlling her mirth, Luluaria-sama recomposed herself. "It seems you do not know your own worth."

By now, Iselda didn't really understand what that had to do with it.

"Iselda, I chose to reveal the truth to you because, compared to the majority of the palace's staff, you are someone Eichirou-sama trusts." The young maid didn't even get a chance to shoot that down as the queen merely continued. "You understand that Eichirou-sama is a very cautious person. Given that I know his secret, he would be all the more so with people he has never met before. It didn't have to be you, yet I chose to have you aware of this because, out of all the possible servants to be assigned to him, he can trust you the most."

"At the very least, he wouldn't be suspicious of you. After all, it was by Liliana's order that you be assigned to him. Had I removed you and put someone else that I handpicked in your position, Eichirou-sama would grow suspicious of me. He would take it as me replacing the people around him to keep an eye on him. He would lose trust, not just in myself, but in everyone else as well."

The smile faded from her face as a worried expression threatened to break past.

"Revealing what I knew then instead of in private may have been a mistake on my part, but I do not wish to cause my benefactor any more problems than I already have. I'm forcing my goodwill on him as it is, and I only wish to have Iselda aide him in his endeavors. Not for the sake of Tortus, mind you, but for my sake. This is a personal order."

That made it all the more peculiar. Why have her assist the Apostle out of a personal request when she already was supporting him under Liliana-sama's orders?

Did he need someone by his side that much?

"You still don't seem convinced." The queen sighed, seemingly reading her mind. "Would it make it more believable if I told you I suspect Eichirou-sama having enemies within the palace?"

"Eh?" Yamamoto-sama, having enemies? While it was obvious he had disagreements with his fellows, it didn't really seem possible that there would be people of Tortus that found any grievance with the Saint-sama. "What do you mean, your Highness?"

"While I do not want to suspect anyone specifically, there have been a few rumors that Ishtar-sama has it out for Eichirou-sama."

The pope himself? Was it because the Apostle disagreed with him?

"Do you recall the poisoning incident? When Eichirou-sama defended you and several others for your innocence?" Iselda nodded. "Ever since that time, my 'ears' have been hearing rumors of the pope holding a grudge. Though I cannot speak for Ehito-sama's servants, I do believe Ishtar-sama may be a threat to Eichirou-sama. As I owe him the life of my children, I have decided to stand by him and provide what support I could muster."

The girl could only sit in silence. Here was the queen, openly proclaiming to stand against the pope for the sake of her children's savior. Heretical it may be. Treasonous, to be sure. But it was a noble goal.

One that Iselda was sure would get the queen killed if anyone ever found out.

"Why would you stand against the Church?" For a moment, Iselda forgot to show respect to the queen. "What makes you so sure that supporting Yamamoto-sama is the best option to take?"

However, the woman sat before her merely smiled warmly.

"My husband told me that he was given a trial by Anima. Eichirou-sama told him he received two, in fact."

'Eichirou-sama did?'

Despite the curiosity showing on her face, Iselda listened intently.

"One was the trial of the King. He would have to manage and maintain peace in his kingdom as long as it was under his rule. A trial that ends once Lundel takes his place. The other was the trial of the Father. Eichirou had complemented my husband in that he was close to accomplishing it once. All he had to do was continue raising Liliana to adulthood and then the trial would continue until he did the same for my son."

"Why tell me this?"

"Because I believe Anima-sama has given me a trial to repay my benefactor."

"Anima-sama… gave you a trial?"

"You are familiar with Yamamoto-sama's patron deity, correct?"

Iselda nodded. After all, who wasn't? A god that healed the sick that Ehito-sama could not? A god that unconditionally claimed all as her children? It was beyond benevolent. It felt like a dream.

"Eichirou-sama told my husband that Anima-sama sees everyone as her children. And to those, he gives certain trials. No matter who it is or how simple they may be, the god of Eichirou-sama places trials upon those she deems needing of them."

Luluaria-sama's hand rested upon her chest as she spoke.

"I believe it is my trial to 'think for myself' and decide my path from there. I have heard Eichirou-sama's stories about people that would stand in the face of adversity despite all odds. What I'm doing now is placing myself at risk against the Church."

A smile drifted on her face.

"If it's to repay the one who saved the people I love, then I would gladly take up Anima-sama's task. It won't matter to me what I have to do as long as I accomplish this for his sake. I owe him two lives I can never repay with a simple 'thank you'."

Iselda saw her eyes. They shone with beauty and passion, but also determination and resolve. Luluaria-sama was serious.

"As I've said, I believe that there are those who would mean harm for Eichirou-sama. Rather than blindly follow Ishtar-sama's word, I have begun to think, not just for my sake but my family as well. I believe that Eichirou-sama was correct in his decision to save my children. Ehito-sama would surely agree with Anima-sama in that regard. After all, it was Ehito-sama who summoned Eichirou-sama into this world."

The thought—no, the audacity of the queen to claim she had received a trial from god would have probably insulted more than a few of Ehito-sama's devoted followers, many of whom had been accepted into the Church on the basis of being born with holy skills such as Divination and Holy Light. To be blessed with proof was the only way to be seen with the grace of god on one's side.

But as she spoke of Yamamoto-sama's deity, the one who only demanded gratitude and nothing more, Iselda found herself believing her every word. That lit something up in her chest.

"What is it that you would have me do?"

"Aide him." Simple as that, Luluaria-sama stated. "Keep supporting him in my place. As someone who knows his secret, I ask that you alleviate the strain placed upon him by others. They may all see him as a Saint, but he may not like accepting such praise."

"Does he feel that he does not deserves it?"

Iselda had assumed that Yamamoto-sama may be feeling guilty. Saving so many that he was called a Saint could have been unintentional on his part. Knowing now that he was against helping them fight the demons, she thought he would feel as much.

But then, why would such a being as an Apostle feel such emotions when he had done the right thing, even according to his god's teachings as well as Ehito-sama's benevolence?

As his maid, she may have known the Apostles, but she hardly understood their ways. She had always watched him impress her with his every action, baffled the others with his humility, shown respect for even the commoners, succeeded in surpassing the expectations of the noblemen and higher officials, and yet all she had done was chalk it up as something only an Apostle was capable of.

She didn't understand the person known as Yamamoto Eichirou because she believed he was an existence beyond her comprehension. She was told he was a messenger of god after all.

This was the first time she saw something so… flawed… so human… about him.

"Don't be mistaken, Iselda. Eichirou-sama is a kind soul. He wouldn't have helped you, your fellows, or my family had he not been, but he is a humble man. Maybe even too humble. You saw how he refused to acknowledge the changes he had shaped within my children. Looking back a month from today, would you say Liliana and Lundel were the same as they are right now?"

No, she wouldn't.

Lundel-sama, despite being so young, was always, pardon her bluntness, an arrogant and boastful child. But after a few weeks with Yamamoto-sama, he came to be more idealistic. He was still immature like any child, but more generous and modest than before.

Then there was Liliana-sama. Although more mature than any other of her age, she had always kept everyone at arm's length with her neutral political mask. It was easy to work with her, but Iselda had always felt her to be a little cold on the exterior despite how her closest of aids kept telling them that she was merely misunderstood.

After Yamamoto-sama came along, she began enjoying life to the fullest and making friends with not just the Apostles-sama, but even Iselda's fellow servants. They were gifted with her greetings and joyous expression almost daily now. Before, there were many who supported her from the shadows as the girl who tried her best. Now, she was known as the child that brought the best out of everyone.

It was somehow felt both reassuring and envious.

"Will you take up this personal request of mine?"

The queen's voice snapped her back to reality. A stern but dignified façade gave the solemn air about Luluaria a definitive touch.

"Know that doing so could put you under scrutiny by the Church of Saints should Ishtar-sama use his position to oppose Eichirou-sama. I will not force you if it isn't something you can agree with. I shall compensate you for your silence, granted you keep said silence. Otherwise, my hand may be forced."

The air went freezing there for a second, but Iselda caught the implication and understood why it was needed. She was optional and could remain an outsider for so as long as she kept her mouth shut. The only reason she was here was because the queen wanted someone _Yamamoto-sama could trust_. This was all for his sake, not just Luluaria-sama's.

"I do not wish to use force, however. So please, could you give me your answer?"

"I—"

Her family could be in danger. If he was made Ishtar-sama's public enemy, something that Iselda still found hard to believe, she could be the same by proxy if she stayed by him. Though Ehito-sama's teachings were absolute, the queen's concern was hard to simply dismiss outright.

But she did owe him her life. She was saved from slavery thanks to his intervention. Indirectly, he saved her family as well through saving her. Even if Leo worked hard all his life, the meager earnings of an uneducated stable boy wouldn't be enough to support their mother as well as him.

She couldn't choose. She could remain silent and refuse to save her family, but then she'd be doing him a disservice by not repaying his kindness.

He had saved her by calling on his patron god Anima-sama for forgiveness. A god that demanded only gratitude.

'Anima challenges all no matter their circumstances, and only those that are truly deserving receive not the reward they desire, but the reward they require.'

He had stated that to her all those nights ago. She had interpreted it like so.

'Anima will test you and, if you succeed, you will get what you deserved.'

If she followed this assumption, then, like Luluaria-sama, she was being tested as well. Not by Ehito-sama or the Queen. Not even Yamamoto-sama was testing her. It was Anima.

If she was given a trial, would it be to test the lengths she would go to repay him, or would it be how far she would stoop to protect her family?

She couldn't choose. When she told the queen her reason, she thusly received a sigh.

"Then, I shall give you time, child. I'd rather you choose your path with a clear mind and heart. I shall wait for your answer until Eichirou-sama decides to take up my offer." The queen had a face of disappointment, but it wasn't directed at Iselda. By how Luluaria-sama directed it to the floor, it seemed like it was for herself. "If you've made up your mind, have my personal maid call for me so that I may directly hear your response."

A nod and a quick bow later, they were dismissed. As they still had the rest of the day to serve their respective charges, Iselda split off from Helina right after. Fortunately, Yamamoto-sama decided to turn in early for the day.

With some free time in her hands, the young maid was given a chance to have some peace of mind, or as much peace as Amelia-senpai allowed her. The older maid was perceptive enough to know it was not a good time and she didn't question it either. Iselda was able to get by without so much as raising her voice to her senior as per the usual.

Sad to say, however, she didn't sleep well that night, even though she had left her room that morning on a high note.

* * *

The day of her meeting with the queen ended exactly one week ago. Although brief, the decision she had to make stewed within her head for quite some time. Then, the day of her leave arrived.

She had yet to make her choice.

"Oh, they're finally here." The old wagon driver's voice drew her attention as he suddenly stood up from one of the nearby water barrels to approach the oncoming entourage of knights and three more wagons already partially loaded with people. "Oy! Took yer long enough! How long er ya plannin' on makin' us wait?"

"Sorry about that, Hector." Iselda recognized the Knight Commander anywhere. Be it his voice or the nonchalant yet sharp air about him, Meld Loggins cut a recognizable figure in the early morning hours. "We ran into a little… issue… with one of the horses."

"Haaah? Yer ran into a wut, now?"

Before Meld could respond, the loud whinny of a horse cried out from the end of the knights' group. It was so loud, the majority of resting passengers woke up to the sight of the Apostles pulling up their own group right next to theirs.

"WOAH THERE! Woah! Easy, Jacky! Easy."

Taking his time to calm the angry steed, Iselda's heart thumped ever so slightly at the sight of his dashing figure atop the dark horse.

"You alright, Eichirou?" Meld called up from the front.

"Yeah, we're good." Turning to face the waking passengers, Yamamoto-sama made to apologize. "Sorry about ruining your sleep. This one's a little testy this morn—Woah! Jacky! Easy, boy!"

The moment a stable boy approached to take care of one of the nearby wagon horses, the Apostle's steed began snorting in the child's direction, prompting Yamamoto-sama to pull him back by the reins.

"You alright, young man?" Jumping off, he made sure to check on the unfortunate boy while tossing his reins to Nagayama-sama sitting atop his own steed. "Sorry, he's been a little agitated. Are you injured?"

"No, I'm fine, sir." The boy could only shake his head as he recovered from the shock. As soon as he was up though, he was pointing at the steed with an incredulous look on his face. "Is that… Blackjack?"

"Oh, you know Jacky?"

"I heard that no one could ever ride him! How did you manage to calm him down enough to be able to mount the Dark Wind of the Plains?"

Hearing this phrase, Iselda almost fell back on habit and attributed the cause as 'because Yamamoto-sama was an Apostle'. Shaking her head, she decided to keep listening. She knew defaulting to that reasoning again would be the same as forgetting what the queen had asked of her. Iselda wanted to know.

That wasn't it. She felt she needed to know more about the Apostle named Yamamoto Eichirou.

"I… don't know what to say, kid." The Apostle shrugged, inducing a headache for Iselda. "One minute, he was ready to chase me down. The next, he was snuggling my palm after being tangled up in the poor tannery shop owner's wares."

The one time when she decided to learn more about him as a human being and all she got was his dumb luck of a reason. Calling it a skill may have been enough. Maybe Yamamoto-sama had training with mounts back in his world. But to declare that the imposing and seemingly infamous steed, who was receiving most of the stable boys' and laborers' awestruck expressions, was won over with a simple pat to its white-striped face, it was beyond impressive or befuddling.

It defied logic.

"It's seriously no fair! Why does it like Eichirou but runs away from me!"

"Aya-chan, he technically ran away from all of us."

"Give Eichin a break. He was the only one Blackjack ran _towards_."

"You mean 'chased down', Kentarou."

"But you have to admit, it was fun seeing Eichirou run away from something for a change."

"Kousuke-kun… I think that's a little too harsh."

"Oh just admit it, Hajime. Even you enjoyed watching that ass getting chased by a demon horse."

The other Apostles laughed at the expense of her… of Yamamoto-sama. He didn't so much as looked offended at all, however. In fact, as he gave his horse a head pat, Iselda noted that he was now sporting the widest smile she ever did see on him ever since she met him.

"Don't listen to them, Jacky. Ayako's just jealous that she doesn't get to ride a great steed like you."

The brown-coated steed seemed to recognize his words as it turned to Tsuji-sama, snorted, then returned to snuggling in his palms. It was enough to cause the female Apostle to squeal with envy as well as incite their fellows to laugh at her expense.

"Ah mou! Why do you always take the good stuff, Eichirou?!"

"Then, would Ayako-himesama like a ride?"

"Eh, is it alright?! Yes! Now I can—"

"On the condition that you'd be riding as passenger, of course."

"Eh…? EEEEEHHHHHH?!"

If the earlier whinnying of the horse didn't wake a few people up, the Apostle's shrill voice certainly roused the whole district.

The Apostles, however, remained in their own little world.

"Ara, Yamamoto-kun made a move on Aya-chan… Even though he already has Lili-chan."

"What do you mean 'made a move on me'?! D-don't you even think about me that way, y-y-y-you playboy actor!" Tsuji-sama was flustered and stammering with a frenzy.

Meanwhile,

"Kuho—!"

"You alright there, man?"

"Kentarou-kun, daijobu desu ka?"

Nagayama-sama and Nagumo-sama asked their fellow, Nomura-sama, as he stifled a coughing fit. It seemed that he started having one the moment Yoshino-sama mentioned her fellow Apostle and someone called… Lili-chan?

That was not a familiar name to the young maid on break.

As for the trio of boys, neither Nagayama-sama nor Nagumo-sama made a move to check on Nomura-sama as both rode horses while he remained on the carriage beside Yoshino-sama. Coincidentally, said female Apostle was glancing between her friend and the boy having difficulty breathing while smiling.

Iselda recognized it as the same kind of smile Amelia made when she was about to be annoying.

"Oh come now, Yoshino-kun. I was merely asking Ayako-himesama if she would like a ride. But seeing as Blackjack-kun here is a little afraid of her, I need to be around to reign him in in case of emergencies."

"Eh? You would go so far to treat her like a princess?"

"If she so wishes it, I shall treat her like one. Despite her unladylike manner being difficult to hide, I could at least try with my 'devoted servant act'."

"I like how you didn't deny already having Lili-chan. You're too smooth, Yamamoto-kun."

"I have no idea what you may be referring to, Yoshino-kun."

"Don't ignore me, you jerk! And what do you mean 'unladylike'?!"

To the other travelers on their own wagon, as well as the gathering audience on the street, the scene drew out chuckles and smiles and maybe a few bewildered but surprised stares. Many had started to notice who, or what, were the people happily fooling around before them. More than a few waking children began popping smiles as soon as their parents called them 'Apostles-sama'.

Iselda was the only one who didn't so much as budge. Her eyes locked on to the indirect cause of her inner turmoil. She had no idea if he would notice her as she had foregone her tidy bun and allowed her brown locks to bunch up around her neck and shoulders. Needless to say, she was in her traveling garb and not the black-and-white dress uniform and apron, standard for all palace maids.

The mere fact that the other Apostles glossed over her when they looked over her group's wagons was proof enough that no one recognized her. She would have let out a sigh of relief at being able to travel incognito from her charge, but fate didn't seem to let her off easy.

"Look, mama! The horse-riding Apostle-sama is looking at us!"

"Johann! It's rude to point at people! Especially Apostle-sama! Just smile and wave, my boy. Smile and wave."

The boy did so. But from behind the mother and son's shoulder, she could see Yamamoto-sama's violet eyes glance directly into her own amber orbs. He smiled slightly and waved back. The boy hiding her form was ecstatic at being responded to. Iselda knew otherwise.

'He noticed me.'

She didn't know how he could have. Especially since she had her cloak's hood pulled up to cover the upper part of her face. Not to mention being squashed against an excited child and his mother. Still, it was clear.

He saw her.

He acknowledged her.

Did that mean he was fine with her knowing what she knew? She couldn't say for certain. But looking back at his smile to her, why did it seem like he was a little sad? Or tired?

Was he relieved to see her now that she shared his secret? Or was he worried she would speak? She wouldn't. But the worry could still be there.

Like all her other questions, she didn't know the answer to any of it either.

"Right! We all ere? Make sure nothin' and no one's been left behind!" The lead wagon driver called up to the rest of the passengers. When none responded, he cracked his whip. "Right, off we go! To Horaud! Hya!"

With his signal, the wagon train left the open gates of the capital city. The rumbling of hooves and the wagon's shaking was all that she could hear now. Add the fact that they were now joined by a knight escort of several tens of the knight order's men surrounding them protectively and three additional wagons of Apostles trailing with, Iselda could only sink into her seat and watch as the mountainous scenery flew past as they trudged along the rough road.

With the loud noises obstructing her concentration, she was left with nothing to do for most of the morning. All she had on her mind was silence.

However, she would give anything to have an answer to all her questions instead.

* * *

I hated this day.

I'm tired. I'm stressed. The sun was reaching its peak in the sky. Yet I'm already fucking done dealing with this shitty day and all I've done is sit on a horse.

What's worse, my ass hurts.

Not just a simple pain, oooooh no. I had to run straight through the market, got kicked in the gut through some poor sap's wooden wall, TWICE, and was forced to stumble around in a cramped warehouse filled with god-awful smelling hides and leather goods. All of this just a few hours after waking up. And now forced to ride on the troublemaker of my morning.

Yep, I wasn't having a good day. Not. At. All.

_'Oh come now. There's no need to whine so much like a child.'_

Says the child who didn't have to go through that ordeal. Fucking hell. She watched from the safety of the back of my head. What's more, she started fucking laughing! LAUGHING! I swear if she started humming Yakety Sax from Benny Hill, I might've just blasted the damn horse into bits with Mia's new magic!

_'Don't you dare use _that _on him! He's a good boy!'_

'Good boy, my ass!'

Even while I wasn't in control of my body right now, and I could still feel the pain in my rear from this morning! Fuck you, Ehito, and your stupid world and its stupid horses! The ones from earth were hardly this problematic! Why in the hell does yours have no chill?!

_'You're just jealous that he doesn't like you!'_

'Oh, sod off.'

Currently while I was steaming inside my own head, we were outside of the palace city. Around several miles out. Enroute to Horaud Town, the classmates, all thirty or so of us, and several tens of knight escorts were joined together with a merchant caravan on their way to the Labyrinth Town, or so they called it. The large escort was due to the recent incident, with around half of them being competent mages to repel anymore mind attacks.

The concern was warranted, but I never expected this many of them to be here all at once.

Rather than waste money on hiring guards or mercenaries, it was decided the knight order and Apostles take on the role of escorting the caravan. It was to serve as training for the class in terms of long distance travel, fighting experience if there were small monsters or bandits, and a kind of socializing with the locals to promote good public image.

Then again, with this many people, guard duty doesn't seem like much of a hassle. I was more worried for the payment the merchant's traveling party would have to give. But if it was sponsored by the kingdom, as most things for the Apostles sake were, then maybe the price was halved.

We weren't registered as either mercenary or adventurer so paying us was unofficial. It was the knight order who would be transacting with them in the first place.

Concerning the actual duty expected of us, the monster and bandit fighting bit was troublesome. As we were currently traveling along one of the country's central highways from the capital, it was expected to be safer than the roads leading to frontier towns. Though hiring us as escorts was just a formality, to have the responsibility of watching out for these civilians when combat experience was nil just sounded stupid to me.

'Haaah,' even in my head, I could only sigh at the idea. But it wasn't all demerits.

The reason for our being here that I actually had interest in was the last point I mentioned: socializing with the people.

I wouldn't disagree with it nor did I think it troublesome for the most part. I actually wanted to see for myself what the residents of Heiligh, and the rest of Tortus, thought of us beyond the praises and compliments within the palace. Nobles were typical in that they patronized us for the sake of gaining favor. The commoners, which were the majority, had yet to have any say. Apart from the servants of the palace, of course.

But what I _could_ gather from this ride alone was too little information. They seem to like us, judging from how they accepted our being late to the rendezvous without much complaints. They've been very patient and accommodating. Conversation among the class and a few of the travelers was easy as there was nothing else to do.

Hell, even the introvert Hajime was having a fun exchange with an elderly man who seems to work in the mining business and his apprentice. The conversation initially started with the old merchant nostalgically watching Hajime and Shirasaki's exchange, but after some teasing and bashful denials, the topic turned to minerals and materials.

I sympathize with the girl for being pushed out of the conversation. I may have had a hand in that. I _did_ stress the fact that the guy should prioritized info gathering as he was weak in all but creative thinking.

I'm rambling again. But apart from Hector, the carriage driver who was also this caravan's leader, no one else had any gripes with us for pushing back their schedule. So their opinion, I would say, was very positive of us.

It would've been perfect if not for the delay. Thanks a lot, you stupid animal!

_'Stop blaming Jacky for everything!'_

There she goes with the nickname. I swear, if this horse bucks me off and chases me again, I'll—!

No, calm down. Calm down.

Breathe. Hold. And release. Repeat.

Breathe. Hold. And release…

'Haaah…'

.

.

.

Moving on.

As to why I was interested in knowing, it was because information here moved slow.

Without the advent of modern tech, word about us wouldn't have spread fast enough to the outer regions of the kingdom. The mere fact we were riding on horseback for what was designated to be a several-day trip was proof that information, people and goods included, travelled slow. Information about us was sparse.

From what I can tell, all they know about us comes from the Church itself, the various rumors passed along by the palace servants and guards, or maybe what the noblemen from the poisoning incident spread to their own families and servants.

They know we were heroes and otherworlders. But they had no idea exactly _who_ we were. Case and point, the child sat along with her mother looking to want to ask questions as I rode alongside their carriage.

"Mama, I want to ask!"

"Don't be rude, child! They are the servants of god. Show some respect!"

"But I want to know which Apostle-sama is the Saint-sama!"

"Sit down! If you anger the Apostles-sama, the Church will punish you! I'm terribly sorry, Apostle-sama. He's only four and hasn't learned all of the Church's laws just yet. Please, forgive Johann."

Ah, the innocence of youth. Curiosity is an endearing aspect of children. As long as they don't trouble the parent, of course. While the mother hissed angrily at her son, she turned to the nearest one of us to apologize. Coincidently, it was me. Better to just smile and wave. Cue Mia.

_"It's nothing to apologize for, ma'am."_

As the horse didn't like me, Mia had to pilot my body as we rode along.

I didn't remember when it started. But I could suddenly use partial control of my body even when Mia was in play. Strange as it was, it felt instinctual. Like a driving instructor stepping on the secondary breaks and taking the teacher's wheel before the student took a wrong turn and crashed.

Mia didn't like it when I did so without warning, however, so I mostly let her do the talking as long as she followed through with my wishes.

_"If you don't mind me asking though, why is it that you want to meet the Saint, young man?"_

Though, today she was extremely curious.

'Oy, what are you doing? Don't just pry like that!'

I couldn't stop her in time. Before I could even attempt to hijack my arm back and cup her mouth, the boy was already beaming.

"I-I heard that the Saint-sama is a great magician! And that he can heal a lot of sick people! I wanna meet him because I wanna help people. Just like him!"

The mother looked like she so desperately wanted her child to stop before he said something too far. I didn't see it as a bad thing. Children had their dreams too. Stupid as it may be, and though he didn't know all of the factors that lead up to it, it was an admirable dream.

_'Then it's no problem if I encourage it, right? Right?!'_

'… … Haaah… fine… But do it how I would—'

_'OKIE!'_

I internally sighed yet again.

The child in my head had been all giddy ever since we woke up. Excited as she may be to see the outside world, she was too hyper even by normal standards. Her usual insight would have put her at around twelve or thirteen years old, maybe the mid-teens. But right now, Mia was acting like she was four on a field trip.

Maybe it was to be expected. She'd only been in my head for around a month or so.

_"What's your name, child?"_

"Johann!"

_"Well then, Johann, I'm sure the Saint would say that it's a wonderful dream to have."_ The boy's smile beamed even more. _"But before your dream is fulfilled, you have to work and study hard."_

It was then that his smile seemed to wane. Even his mother seemed a little sad to see his face.

"But… but we're commoners… We don't have money for school."

Well, that was to be expected. They lived in a medieval age. School was exclusive to the rich and nobles. But that didn't stop Mia.

_"Let me tell you a secret child. Come closer." _Leaning in, she whispered, though it was very much audible to anyone who was already listening in. _"We, even the Saint, are all commoners in our world."_

"Eh?! But… Aren't you Apostles?"

_"And even though we are, status means nothing. If you truly want your dream to be fulfilled, you find a way."_ The boy didn't seem to understand the point. Giving Mia a pointer, she continued her performance with my voice and hands, putting a palm on her chest as she spoke. _"There are many ways to heal people besides magic. If someone's arm was stabbed through and no mage is present to heal the wound, do you let them bleed out?"_

"No, you cover it with clean cloth and stop the bleeding!" The boy shook his head and spoke up. "Mother taught me!"

_"Good, you're a smart child. Most children your age would've probably started panicking._" The compliment had him grinning from ear to ear. "_And if your mother was sick and no healer is around? What do you do?"_

"Ehh? Erm… F-find a doctor?"

_"And if you can't? Will you let the sickness claim your family?"_

"I-if I… I'll… then…. but…"

The boy was struggling now. Even as I rode the backseat, I could tell he was trying to come up with an answer and failing. He was young. That was to be expected. He didn't have enough of a life experience to grasp a proper answer, and since he didn't suggest anything out of place, it means his head is in the right direction.

"Eichirou, stop bullying him."

Speaking from across the carriage we trailed alongside, Hajime called Mia and I out. Her expression must've been gloating, or something along those lines—_'WAS NOT!'_—for him to notice. Regardless, the otaku riding his own steed turned to face the kid with a nervous smile.

"Johann, was it? Don't think too hard on it. The Saint's question is actually very easy to answer. Just 'become the doctor', see? No worries when you've become one yourself."

"But I can't study in school."

"Eh—Ah. That's right!"

Even Hajime had to scratch his head at the child's pessimistic outlook. When people gave children advice, the usual would've been something like 'how do I do that?'. Getting a 'but I can't' really made it difficult to convince them otherwise when even you didn't know how to explain it.

Even if Hajime had learned to be a bit more open recently, it's not like he could magically reason with the kid when he found it hard to offer advice himself.

"You can learn without going to school. As long as you pay attention." Kousuke spoke up from atop his own black colt. Though he was normally invisible, even to his own ride, he had suddenly drawn most of their eyes from speaking up. "If you don't have the skills, observe what the professionals do when you can. If it's about the medicine, learn to make it yourself. Even professionals don't know what works until they figure it out for themselves."

Simple logic quickly delivered by the resident ninja. Nice timing.

The boy looked a bit more hopeful now if his smile was anything to go by.

"If you become a doctor, you don't have to rely on a healer anymore. If you made your own medicine, then people will come to you to be healed. Sure, it'll take a lot of money and time, but if you can learn just by observing, then it's the same as learning in school but for free."

"The Apostles er right, kid. If a man be catchin' a cold, find herbs that can help 'im get better. Ain't no sense in waitin' fer them skilled mages if yer can do it yerself. Better off learnin' what yer can do on yer own than relyin' on people that aren always around."

The wagon driver named Hector spoke up without turning to look at either of us. But from his words, the boy was made to look at us all for our response.

"Is what Mister Hector saying true?" His eyes looked hopeful. "Are you not always going to be there to save us?"

"Eh? Uh…" Hajime looked to Kousuke, then to me when the ninja didn't move to support.

The jump in topic was unexpected. But then the mind of a child wandered wherever it pleased. It just so happened that this kid was smart enough to understand the implications of those words. He was close to tears by this point. Even Mia was unsure as what to say.

A child was still a child, after all.

'Mia, left hand and face only. Steer the horse a little closer to the carriage.'

_'Eh?! But I can do that myself! I know what you're thinking.'_

'I know, but I'm asking you to let me do it.'

She conceded after checking my feelings, albeit reluctantly. Phrasing that sounded off, but as we were, the mental link bridged more than our thought process and memories. She could feel my thoughts for the boy and understood.

The partial return of freedom in my arm allowed me to pat the kid on the head and give him a reassuring smile.

"No one can always be there to save everyone, Johann. If there was ever someone like that, you couldn't call them a person anymore, now could you? They'd be an angel, or a god. But we aren't either of those things." He lowered his head slightly. "Hey, don't look so down, I thought you said you wanted to be like the Saint? How can you heal people's hearts if you don't keep that smile on?"

"'Heal their hearts'? But I said I wanted to heal people like Saint-sama." He made to look up with a teary-eyed expression. It was as if I shot down his dream. It didn't take long for the waterworks to burst.

"Now, now. Yeah, that's true, but how are you gonna heal people looking so down?" I made to smile warmly as I always did with my own siblings. It stopped the crying at least. "No sick person wants to see their doctor looking at them with a sad face. If they see you like that, they might just think you were looking at someone who was already dead. How can you heal them when you look like you already gave up on them? Cheer up, okay?"

He made to wipe the snot of his face with his sleeve. Handing him a handkerchief of my own, he cleaned his face up with his mother's slightly shocked expression. Perhaps giving him one of my own was too casual of a gesture.

"If you want to heal people, first thing you have to do is learn to keep on smiling. As long as you can keep that smile, even in the toughest of times, you can always find some way and have enough time to heal them. Be it their sickness, wounds, pain, or their hearts."

"H-how?"

"By keeping the patients calm, of course. If someone was sick and all they did was scream and run around saying they will die soon, or if a guy got stabbed and he just kept shouting and crying without staunching the wound, do you think anyone could help heal them properly?"

"But-but Saint-sama wouldn't abandon them, would he?"

"No, he wouldn't."

'… unless there was no other way…'

I had to fake a smile as I omitted the grave condition for that statement. Lying to the kid was being too harsh. Why fill him with hope if all I will do is pop a hole in his already fragile bubble of a dream.

"But if the patient doesn't calm down and relax, how are you supposed to save them from themselves? Blood can't ever be replaced by magic and if the sick man caused his disease to spread, he'd have infected more people."

Realization dawned in the kid's eyes. His sniffling stopped. An expression of knowing replaced the panicked one from before.

Young, but intelligent. I hope he lives long enough to use his knowledge.

"If the problem blew up to such a scale, no one but an angel or god could save those lives. I know the Saint wouldn't be able to either. After all, he's only a person like you and I."

"Like… me?"

"Yes, Johann. Once upon a time, the Saint was also an idealistic kid that didn't want to abandon anyone to their fate. Just like you." I made to ruffle his head while checking if his face was properly cleaned of tears. "Feel better?"

A nod and determined smile from the boy and he returned my handkerchief, slightly dirty, but otherwise he was fine.

"Good, kid. You may have failed to answer my questions on your own, but at least you learned something new. Now, what do you keep doing when someone needs help?" He pointed to his upturned cheeks as he smiled toothily. I gave his head a pat while smiling. "Keep that up while learning by observing others. It'll take time, but if you really want it to come true, you can work hard enough to be one. You're a smart kid. You'll be able to do it."

"You really think so?!" He was back to ecstatic again.

"Hahah, I know so. And when you become a doctor in the future, who knows? We Apostles might end up being healed by you someday."

"Mm. If I can't become a healer, I will be the very best doctor when I grow up! I promise you, Apostle-sama… …" The boy smiled and nodded vigorously. But then he paused for a second. "Erm…"

"What's bothering you now child?"

"Er… I-I don't know… your name…"

"Yamamoto." I smiled at the kid. "Yamamoto Eichirou. But you can call me Eichirou, little Johann."

He smiled back in silence at the familiarity but at the same time paused. Taking this chance, the mother lowered her head.

"I truly apologize for my son's behavior, Apostle Yamamoto-sama. Your things were even soiled for his sake."

"It's nothing to worry about, ma'am." Drawing a small paper slip from my coat's chest pocket, I chanted a short spell. _"Cleanse, as I command thee, Wash."_

Water erupted from the slip to envelop the hankie I directed it at. In a few seconds, the cloth was pristine clean and a short dry spell later, it was back in my pocket, freshly laundered.

"Magic is helpful, sure. But if you ran out of paper to activate a healing magic circle, the people you want to save could die. If you can learn how to heal people without it as a doctor," I smiled warmly at the kid who was curiously giving me wide eyes. "Then forget being like the Saint, you can be better than he ever will be."

"… Saint-sama's questions… your questions…" It only took his first few words for me to realize the gears in his head were turning. "Yamamoto-sama… No way… are you…?"

'Aaahhh, shit! Okay, we're done here. Mia, to Meld!'

_'Eh?'_

'Now. Go. Go!' At my urging, Mia's foot lightly kicked the stallion. "Sorry, little Johann, but I need to confirm something with the Knight Commander. Ma'am, please excuse me."

A short excuse later, we were galloping to match the speed of the lead horse at the head of the convoy. All the while behind me, the child was beaming with admiration in his eyes.

God, how stupid of me. I wasn't planning on admitting anything. I actually just wanted to know what they thought about me but asking in such a direct manner was way beyond what I expected Mia to do.

_'Hey, don't blame me! You were curious too!'_

'And yet, we were found out quite fast. Nice going, you compromised their impartiality.'

_'But you NAMED YOURSELF!'_

Ah, shit. That was true.

.

.

.

Fuck me.

It didn't take long for the other passengers to figure me out as well. Just admitting they were _my_ questions when Hajime stated it was _the Saint's_ caught the more perceptive adults up to speed. Their gazes were pretty telling. If not by Hajime's words or introducing myself, the way the rest of the other classmates in the other carriages were curiously eyeing me certainly would have.

Speaking so much might've caught some unwarranted attention, but they at least get the general idea that I don't want to claim the title of Saint. I was hiding an identity that would've garnered me fame and fortune from the masses. If anything, that should paint me as humble, not suspicious. Possibly…

Hopefully…

But going back to the problem, I still slipped up there. Had Mia not asked in the first place, I could've listened to what they thought about the rumored 'Saint' without them even knowing I was the real deal.

'Haaah. I'm so out of touch. The stress of choosing the Labyrinth first before Luluaria's safe suggestion is getting to me. Can't even encourage the child without compromising my own cover.'

_'Not that you were hiding it well at all. And if you'd be stressed, you shouldn't have picked going to the Labyrinth in the first place!'_

Ignoring Mia, it was a minor setback. That was all.

We were heading into a faraway town. A place far too remote for intel on us to have spread in detail. I could gather information about us from there. This small group of merchants and travelers probably wouldn't be able to share news about our appearances so quickly.

And maybe, if I got the time, I could even see if a city not the capital had anything on interdimensional magic before we had to hop into the Labyrinth.

Pushing all that aside, I made it to the fore with Meld leading the way. Curiously enough, the unexpected person was there conversing with him as well.

"Ambrogio-dono, why're you so insistent on finding a place to stop so soon? We've barely made it halfway to our first stop."

"As I've said, Loggins-sama, the Apostles-sama aren't used to traveling like this. We should find a place to rest safely before they tire out from the ride."

Riding alongside Meld, Deene Ambrogio sat regally atop his own steed. Wearing white robes from the Church, he severely contrasted most of us who wore leather gear and/or low-quality armor. The exception was Amanogawa, of course. Being the 'Hero', he was given the best of the best. Spotless white and fashionable plate armor complete with a headpiece and a cape.

How such gear could be considered practical, I had no idea. He didn't even have a helmet on, for Christ's sakes!

Personally, my leather coat, boots, gloves, and long pants were all fine though. I would've asked for gambeson or other linen-based gear, as they were scientifically proven to be better. However, they tried to push armor on me when I tried. Apparently gambeson is considered only as under armor wear and not actual protection as it is just simple linen layers to protect from chafing here in Tortus.

Different culture perspectives make so much more sense when not about clothing.

A shame. But when I asked how leather was supposedly stronger, they only said that monster hide had better protective qualities than enchanting linen. I call bullshit. Gambeson was better than this stiff coat I was wearing. It didn't even feel warm and just chilled my ass.

Good thing I got used to the cold weather in Canada.

_'Maybe they assumed you were looking for melee-protective equipment since you came along bringing a, oh I don't know… a spear?!'_

Mia may have had a point there. Equipping me with what amounted to thick linen sounded bad when I was armed for frontline duty. Even my backup weapon was a sword. I should've gotten a staff so that I could be assigned to the back.

But I'd rather wear this than what the other mages had on.

Contrary to pretty-boy hero, there were others equipped lightly like Shirasaki and the other mages. Mantles, robes, excessively long sleeves, the typical things one would see on magicians from a fantasy RPG setup like DnD or a ridiculous cosplay of World of Warcrab characters. Kentarou was the exception as he opted for a leather coat and gloves. He apparently 'preferred to work with leather than dirty the clothes'.

All of our collective gears aside, the young priest that trailed after the Commander in charge did not look like he was prepared for a fight. Far from it. He looked more like he was ready to do a sermon.

When previously asked why he even needed to come, he only said he was needed to 'guide the Apostles' and 'keep them on the righteous path'. After a bit of clarification, and some well-deserved explanation, it was apparent he was here to prevent another incident like what happened with fire-berserker Nakano. Basically, the Church's representative on our current trip.

Why he couldn't lead with that instead of preaching, I blame the religious fervor of this stupid world.

Thankfully, Meld got the answer out of him before any of us lost patience this morning. With how much he was preaching, and avoiding me, it was easier for the knight to get the young priest talking.

That being said, I was already acting like I needed to talk to Meld to avoid the civilians and classmates. I guess I should try and converse with Ishtar's pet. Wouldn't put it past him to get even more suspect of me if I just ignored him.

"Is there a problem, Ambrogio-sama?"

"K—Yamamoto-sama." Visible hesitation. Definitely suspicious. "No, there's nothing wrong, per say. Just finding it difficult to convince Loggins-sama to not manhandle the rest of the Apostles as he has done for their training in the past month."

"If I babied them too much, they wouldn't learn a thing. If your word is the critique of the Church itself, Ambrogio-dono, I suggest you have them pass a note to my Vice-Commander."

"As interesting as your opinions are for each other's methods, that didn't really answer the question. What seems to be the matter? Maybe I could assist."

Stating as much, I was directly demanding either of them to get on with it. But as I phrased it quite neutrally, offering to help even, neither took offense. Surprising me, it was Deene who responded first.

"I've realized that the Apostles-sama aren't used to such norms as us as you are all from another world. Noon's already upon us and yet, see for yourself, Loggins-sama." He nodded his head towards the rear of behind him so as not to call much attention. "Riding for such a short time has already tuckered them out. Merely sitting in the carriage is already exhausting them mentally. If you're not careful, it may affect their bodies as well."

Glancing over my shoulder, there were more than a few who were already bored out of their minds.

Some tried looking around, but at the pace we were going, the view hardly changed from mountains, hills, meadows, and a few patches of trees. The area around here wasn't exactly fertile farmlands so it was a bit barren despite being green. Mountainside terrain did that sometimes.

Of the other classmates, a few began playing games to distract themselves from the boredom. Hatayama-sensei was helping in that regard but just barely. You can only get so far with only hand puzzles and I-spy games. A deck of cards would've been helpful. Too bad I left mine in my schoolbag back at the palace.

A few tried sleeping or taking a nap. Understandable as their morning was interrupted by the need to leave. But wheels without shock absorbers and unpaved roads denied them a wink. The carriages tended to bump about and if you weren't careful, getting tossed into someone else's personal space was a given.

On that note, having no luggage was both a blessing and a curse.

A lot of the girls didn't like the idea of not having a change of clothes when we were essentially going to a place where exercise was a given. But then again, it wouldn't really fit with the current carrying capacity of the wagons. There was barely enough space for them to sit with elbows drawn, and we couldn't exactly impose on the travelers and merchant's group that didn't even have wiggle room.

Back to the problem at hand, Deene's point was solid. His words were true with proof all around. Beyond that, however, I noticed there was insistence in his voice, non-threatening from what I could tell. It sounded like actual worry.

_'Who knows, the young fool might actually be worried.'_

'Can't deny that. The others are pretty much religious icons after all.'

With Mia confirming my guess, we both rode on in silent acceptance of the response. Meld, on the other hand, replied like he wanted to be anywhere the priest wasn't.

"Exhausted or not, they can rest for a day or two before we actually begin as long as we get there as soon as possible. I'm not planning on pushing them more than needed. I'm well aware that they still need to rest."

"And extending their stay beyond the safety of the capital's walls? Are the recent incidents not a cause for concern to you, Loggins-sama?"

"I'm rushing _because_ I'm concerned. Those incidents are already proof enough that they are just as compromised inside the walls as they are outside of them." Meld's point could have silenced the priest for a moment. If not his words, the accusing eyes he gave the young man would've. "I don't know what the Inquisitors were doing before the incident happened, but even with them running around hunting down the culprit, they should already know that the security surrounding the Apostles is too lax."

Deene didn't respond back immediately. Meld took that opportunity to speak his mind. And speak it, he did. With solid contempt as well as disappointment, might I add.

"What's more, they and the rest of the Church have yet to inform the order or the Court Mages about their future contingencies about dealing with the problem. If it's concerning the Apostles safety, we who are at the forefront should at least get a heads up as we also have our own plans in place. Working with what we have without their input is a problem for us too, y'know."

While I could understand Meld's point, I also sympathized with Deene as soon as I saw his face.

He wore the expression of a man that was aware of the Church's actions. Or lack thereof, so to speak. He had been tasked with keeping watch over us, and with the knight order's current numbers in the escort group, he may have felt unwelcome as he was alone. The lacking contribution of the Church prevented his denying the older man.

It may be pride, or something else on contributing to the Apostles as their religion dictated, but whatever it was, it only served to guilt-trip him further.

On my own agenda, however, I agreed with him in giving the others some rest. The Church's silence on the recent matters was surprising and may need investigation later, but right now wasn't the time. I couldn't exactly pin the blame on one guy for all his sect's done to disappoint Meld.

Maybe, I should give him a hand? Supporting him now may also lessen his suspicion of me.

_'But isn't he a little too rude to cooperate with? Didn't he jump to conclusions the first time you met?'_

'He just didn't know, Mia. It may be that Ishtar's also not telling him everything. Cautious as I may be of the guy being a spy, I'm not really against working with people like him as long as he doesn't pay me too much attention.'

Mia didn't argue further. Instead, she just left it to me and returned her attention to driving the animal while I spoke up.

"Meld, while I do agree that rushing all the way to Horaud is the optimal plan, I have to agree with Ambrogio-sama that the others need a break."

The knight looked slightly surprised with his raised eyebrow. Given that he knew I was already suspicious of the Church's suspicion of me, to agree with the priest must've been odd. But Deene's dumbstruck expression was the most abnormal of all.

You wanted this, didn't you? Don't act all surprised when I'm agreeing!

"In our world, travels such as this would merely take less than a few hours due to technological advances, maybe minutes depending on the method. However, due to being used to such fast travel times, our people's patience and energy wore thin. It is simply in our world's culture to have a lot of time to do many things and not get bored due to that."

"You mean to say… this bore you?"

"Quite." I nodded at his understanding. "While I do enjoy getting back on a horse's saddle" —I actually did. But not with _this_ particular creature.— "the others may not be finding the same enjoyment as I am. Right now, they're wasting away, even as they sit down quietly."

"I didn't know the people's lifestyle of your world was so different compared to our own. I'm guessing you're telling me this because there's a detriment that I should be made aware of? Like that time you had an 'adrenaline rush', was it?"

Sure, let's continue with that!

_'Oh, you can't bee— Are you seriously bluffing him again with made-up knowledge? Was the friendly-fire-causing hormone not enough for you? Even that excuse was flimsy at best!'_

'Shush!' Clearing my throat, I mentally quieted the child as I prepared to abuse the misunderstanding. "Boredom is a bane to most of my people. There is evidence of it causing a deterioration of the mental state. The longer it lasts, the more the deterioration affects us."

Now add a tablespoon of bullshit.

"As we were originally from a different world, I imagine this predicament that would cause some harmful effects on the other Apostles could very well translate differently in your world."

And mix well.

"I fear boredom would cause the others to lose vigilance, in turn, affecting their mindsets when going into battle. If, by any chance, it translates into your world as a debuff or abnormal status, it may even affect their Skills, either weakening them or through cursing."

Meld started making a contemplative gaze as we rode along. Deene, on the other hand, was listening intently despite having suspicions of me. Time to add more pepper.

"We may be humans like you, but that doesn't mean our world runs on the same rules as yours does. Being denizens of another world, we received the blessing of your god once we arrived. But who's to say that we still don't have the system of our own world affecting us right now?"

"Does such a system even exist in the Apostles-sama's world? I thought magic was nonexistent in yours, Yamamoto-sama?"

Deene wasn't buying it. Now, I need to sell it.

"It's not 'magic' by any means, Ambrogio-sama. It's called 'science'." I chose a vast subject lest one of the others picked up on my bullshit. "Studies have shown that skills and talents deteriorate over time when not in use. A spearman today could become a baker if he trains hard for a year. However, if the talents he had honed in the army were to go unused for long periods of time, he could very well lose them."

"But aren't you all fine, even after a day of rest? Your levels don't go down. In fact, all your stats have increased greatly. Even Hajime had started catching up ever since you started working with him."

"That may be true, Meld. Stats don't go down." The knight needed more pepper. "But if talents in our world were greatly strengthened after being translated to Tortus' magic system, I wouldn't want to know how severe mental stress from my world can be interpreted here."

"Stress? Is it that much of a danger in your world?"

Neither seemed to believe me.

_'Then, it's time to give them a convincing act.'_

'Let me take the lead.'

_'Very well. I'll take Jacky.'_

With my one hand to my chest, a sad expression, and some slouched body language by Mia to indicate depression, we made to play the tragic victim.

"I used to know someone who had such traumas before. After recently losing close family, he sunk into despair, wasted away, unable to focus on honing his talents and skills. The rest of his remaining family worried for him, pampered him, protected him. All so he could recover and not deal with the pain."

I dejected sighed escaped me while looking up at the sky with melancholy.

"But it was to no avail. Soon, he abandoned training entirely and disappeared from home. It's been so long. Years, in fact. I've not heard from him since. A shame, he was one of the best people I knew."

Neither of the two made to respond immediately. Meld had a hardened stare straight ahead but had glanced my way once to scowl even more. Deene's grip on his gelding's reins were taught and firm. His silence was telling in that he didn't wish to draw up bad memories.

Of course, 'bad memories' was an overstatement. It was a steaming pile of easily-misunderstood bullshit dashed with some more pepper for flavor and onion chunks for tears!

My friend used to be an okay guy, but ever since his cat died due to a car accident, he'd changed and become a full-on vet. Imagine that! My classmate from high school, Leeroy's hopeless jockey of an older brother, the dude who thought spray-paint graffiti and rap were the only skills he had, not that he was any good, turned into a dedicated animal doctor when his pet Twinkie got accidentally crushed by his mom while she was parking in the garage.

Huh. I guess life-changing moments come from the most unexpected of places.

_'I'm impressed at the story. But the cat interests me more. How did anyone expect that fat balloon of a feline to survive at all when it couldn't even walk without someone carting it along?'_

'Mia, you have to give the guy props. Any animal you needed taking care of for a few days that was given to him would come back looking healthier than a cow ready to be turned into ground beef.'

_'Eichirou, I've seen your memories! That fool idiot managed to fatten your little brother's hamsters into beavers!'_

'Hey, I called him the best for a reason. He had talent! But here I thought he would become the best dubious animal breeder for a slaughterhouse. Now, he works with PETA!'

Mia still protested my complimenting the guy for his ridiculous gift. I disagree.

Being able to keep any animal alive and satisfied despite bloated to the highest limit their body could take, it was amazing none of them either died of heart attacks or molted from stress!

If Ben were here, maybe he'd get a Breeder Class specialized for animal husbandry. He might be put on the top of the Broken Class for Economies List and make meat so cheap, the market crashes. He can join Hatayama-sensei if she abused her class to the limit and flatlines the price of grain and herbs. Or maybe even Hajime if he ignited a metallurgical revolution.

Hell, the guy's Transmute skill was already breaking magic circle science. Why not add a little help to destroy and recreate this world's understanding of biology? Botany under Hatayama-sensei and Zoology for Ben was pretty much stupid already. All they needed was someone for microbiology and chemistry to completely upset the balance!

Ruining the common sense and harmonic balance of nature in both worlds aside, I was going waaaay off tangent yet again. Damn this distracted mind of mine.

_'It's your own fault, y'know.'_

But I wasn't lying though. Not at all. When I said I hadn't heard from him in years, it was actually true. Being a full-time doctor, Ben couldn't join me and Leeroy for casual MMO get-togethers anymore. Even with the internet too. The guy was too invested in making sure another 'Twinkie' incident never happens again.

Well, we hardly talked after she exploded. Mostly because I thought it was fucking hilarious. He was so heartbroken by it that I doubt my reaction would be remotely acceptable. Getting him a new cat didn't help either.

I can't say he would forgive me anytime soon. Twinkie was his baby.

A true shame. He was the best animal feeder IRL and suicidal PKer in-game. Ben Jenkins will never ride again.

Despite the sad, sad story on my end, judging by the two's still-gloomy reactions, they wouldn't think my friend's actually doing well for his life. Becoming a doctor out of depression really brought the guy bouncing back up.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I-I didn't think such tragedies occurred in the world of the Apostles-sama." The young priest did a complete 180. Compared to his usual hesitation to answering me, he now showed genuine sympathy. "I was under the impression that a peaceful world such as yours rarely had to deal with misfortunate events like that."

"I appreciate the thought, Ambrogio-sama. But there are worse things compared to my friend's. Stress does not simply pile up. They multiply. A man who lost his job a day before and his family today could turn into a murderer tomorrow. Such is the fragility of minds discovered using my world's system. My friend Ben was lucky he didn't lose more than one important individual and he didn't have to deal with the same dangers present in your world."

I didn't break the act just yet. As it worked so well, they fell for it, hook and line. Tragic as the story they misinterpreted to be, I still needed to word it right to convince them the gravity of my 'worries'. So I modified it from sad and depressing to a warning.

"But enough about me and my friend. We must focus on those we can help. Considering that the others are tired now, their minds are far from at ease. I also believe that the knowledge of magic capable of manipulating their minds to fool them into fighting amongst each other is also detrimental. Knowing it exists is helpful in preparing against it, sure. But it may also cause some undue anxiety if you pressure them from other angles. One being travel to unknown lands. Do not forget that were are still strangers to your world, Meld."

The knight nodded his confirmation. He understood my reasoning well as he didn't deny it. But the stern worry on his face was still present. He had been glancing around every so often, proof of his vigilance now that we were beyond the safe palace walls.

But being worried wouldn't do anyone any good. Looking around, an idea cropped up.

"Might I suggest a little exercise, Meld?"

"Exercise? But I thought that training would pressure them?"

"Ah, yes, that is true." I didn't avert my gaze but remained passively neutral. "But not all exercise should be considered as training. Some can be fun. Perfect for alleviating stress!"

"Then, what do you suggest, Eichirou?"

I shared with them my plan. As there were only the three of us, plus one disembodied voice, I was able to pass it off without incident.

"You should have them do their own thing every once in a while. Wandering too far off is a no go, of course. Even with all the guards, such risks shouldn't be left to chance. However, as it has less expectations of them to improve since you can disguise it as simple free time, they wouldn't feel as pressured like at the training grounds. And after all, showing them that they've improved should raise their spirits somewhat."

"That is indeed a good idea. It raises their morale if done properly, and it can still be training without being obviously so."

Deene said as much without breaking pace. Meld didn't move to deny it either. His expression remained contemplating. Shortly after, Meld made to wave someone's attention.

"Alan! Hand me a map."

"Sir!"

I would've fist-pumped in silent success, but it was too early for celebration and that would give me away, so no.

It didn't take long for Meld to settle on a nearby river located just between the capital city and our first pitstop village. As I peeked over at the map, I noted two more smaller markings almost similarly displaced after the first just before the road ended with Horaud Town.

"Perfect. With your suggestion, we can keep the rest of the Apostles from getting bored. And it's still free time disguised as training. This is an excellent idea, Eichirou."

"No need for compliments," I replied. "I'm just worried for the others. Being cautious is good and all. But being overprotective is worse for them in the long run."

"I understand now that it's a risk I'd rather take. I'll take measures to secure the area. Besides, this route wasn't told to anyone other than Eliheid-sama and Ishtar-sama. So the chances of demons ambushing us is low."

Meld's tone dropped low for a second. His expression darkened somewhat.

"Eichirou, about what you said. Your friend's... fall. If I let them get too stressed by holding them back, it would be the same as pushing them too much, right? Either way would end up letting what happened to your friend happen to all of them."

No, it wasn't, but sure, let's go with that.

"In the worst case scenario, yes. But if all goes well, they'll be smarter, more attentive, and relieved."

Deene simply nodded and Meld gave his orders to Alan who kept riding pace while standing by.

"Then, we'll make a quick camp here for noon. Tell Hector and the rest of the carriage drivers. We're watering the horses as well. Also," Meld's tone was lowered so only Alan, Deene and I could hear. "Tell Kyle and Lambert to split off and scout with a handful of men each. Tell them to report back to me after they've completed a perimeter sweep of here and here."

Though I could hardly see the map from this angle, Meld had leaned over to show only Alan, I could tell it was around the river zone he was interested in just moments ago. Nevertheless, his subordinate nodded and was soon off.

'Mission Success! I get a free break time!'

_'Hooray… I cannot believe _this_ is what you would use your talents for.'_

'Oh come of it! I'm tired of riding. At least let me take a break every now and then. You got your wish to get out of the palace, didn't you?'

Mia didn't argue back. Knowing that I was stressed enough to not want to socialize with others, she didn't dare deny I needed the rest. I was straining at the edge of my rope just last week with Eliheid and Luluaria. Giving me this was the least she could do. The stress really was getting to me if I had to fake a friend's tragic end to buff these two with the risks of the others' situation.

Still, the adults falling for it was too easy. If one used logical reasoning, they could argue that my point was moot as there was no evidence to support my claim of 'Earth's system' still affecting us here in Tortus. How did I manage to convince them with simple drama and pure bullshit?

'It can't be…'

The hand still under my control tapped the Status Plate hidden in my coat. Having not had a chance to check its contents in a while, I didn't know just how far I progressed with the rest of my abilities. The magic spells were never listed and I already memorized them. No point in checking stats that I didn't use like, Strength or Agility, or had an abundance of, Magic and Resistances.

Knowing how my stats were scaling up, checking had taken a backseat. Unlike Hajime who I regularly see checking his own, I didn't really care much for the artifact as it really didn't help me with things besides my own abilities. Which begs the question:

'Forget about stats, what happened to my skills? Specifically, the one that kept on growing, derivative branches far exceeding the norm?'

I couldn't check it here. Not now. I needed to do it in private. Derived skills were a theoretical rarity. Having one that derived multiple times per weapon was broken as hell. If anyone where to find out my skill could do so with other branches of utility such as medical knowledge, I'd be in deep shit.

Fuck. I gotta get some time for rest, but another problem's begun to stress me out further. I really hate this fucking day.

_'Earth had a saying, didn't it?'_ Mia made to interrupt my soliloquy. _'What was it? 'Karma's a bi—'.'_

'Finish that sentence…,' I interrupted back. 'And I'll turn Jacky into jerky with _your_ new wind magic.'

Needless to say, she kept quiet. But the stress didn't let up for me. Not even when we made our stop by the riverbank. Not even when I was able to get off the stupid steed. Not even when I was able to lie back for a few seconds before being pestered by the others to help with the new 'exercise'.

Safe to say, I really hated this fucking day.

* * *

"While the horses are getting watered and the others prepare the meals, you will all party up and take turns exploring the surrounding areas. Familiarize yourself with the terrain and take a break back here after you're done."

A few grumblings can be heard here or there as the weary students all mumbled their complaints. It had been nearly half a day since they left the capitol, and all that time was spent either on horseback or in the bumpy carriage.

Kouki, however, wasn't really as fazed like the others. Though he had ridden on his own white mare, he hadn't lost his usual vigilance. He had kept an eye on the area, observing the sights of the passing countryside, while he conversed with Ryutarou who was too heavy for any of the remaining horses. The big guy was similarly unaffected by the rough ride and was in fact pumped at the new activity.

However, the collective reluctance of the other classmates was bad for morale.

"Everyone, I think we should give Meld-san a chance to explain." Turning to the Knight, the Hero made an expectant face. "Isn't that right, Meld-san?"

"Yeah. Despite my telling you to take a hike, I'm not treating this as training. It's just come to my attention that sitting around doing nothing will just be detrimental to you all. This is your free time to spend while we make camp and have some lunch."

A few gazes softened up at the sound of 'free time'. Meld pressed on, ignoring the more persistent tired expressions with his own confident smile.

"My suggestion is for you all to get a feel for the place, join the knights in hunting and fishing, and also to get along with the civilians. Your heroes, after all. You should spend time getting to know the place and people you're saving. Let my men know who's going and where. They'll keep an eye on the area while you take the time to relax."

Dismissing them, the Apostles were left to their own devices with a few of the knights standing by, ready to follow through with their escort orders.

"Well, at least it's not more marching."

"Hey, wanna go fishing?"

"I think I'll just take a walk."

"Sensei! Wanna come with us to check out the forest while you walk?"

"Eh, ah, as long as you all behave—Kora! I said to behave!"

More than a handful of the teenagers began grouping up and splitting off a few minutes later, Hatayama-sensei's particular circle taking the excited lead by diving right into it with smiles and laughs. Kouki, on the other hand, stood apart from the group as he looked around. Many were helping the travelers unload some cargo, Ryutarou among them.

As they had been sitting still while they traversed the country, Kouki had to admit that the boredom had eaten away at him just as much as it did the others. The role of a hero seemed so straightforward from the start. He was told that he needed to face a great evil and win to save people. But the way the others were treating this excursion as an outing or a field trip, it was somehow more fun than what he had expected.

A river ran by the camp where they parked the carriages and horses. It was quite deep, maybe two meters, and as wide as ten. The bridge beside it was wide enough for three carriages side-by-side and a thick forest stood just beyond the clearing about two hundred or so meters away from the camp. The hill nearby had a vantage point over all of the area.

It was were Kouki was currently enjoying the beautiful view of the surrounding landscapes.

Though, that didn't stop the scowl on his face as his eyes drifted over to his close female friends and the company that they currently had.

"Something on your mind, Kouki-kun?"

"Ah, not really," Not noticing that he was spacing out, the girl's voice snapped him back to reality. "What about you, Nakamura-san? Aren't you going to join them?"

Though he gestured over to Nagayama's party, he was specifically pointing out Taniguchi Suzu, Nakamura's closest friend. She had recently been getting along more with the other Priest of their class, including Tsuji Ayako. Suzu had been socializing with Ayako and her party due to her magic training but usually had Nakamura along with her when she talked with them.

Because she was a Barrier Master, Suzu had been practicing with the other support magicians during lectures. It was only natural that she would grow close with her fellow mages. But there was a reason Kouki didn't dare approach that particular circle.

"Suzu's just asking Yamamoto-kun for some advice. After the other day's lecture, he gave her something new to apply in her training, but she just hasn't gotten the hang of it yet."

"Is that so…?" Kouki smiled wryly

He had been very wary of Yamamoto for a while now.

He didn't hate the guy. Despite stating his stance of not fighting and standing by his word, he wasn't against helping the others improve. In the beginning, only Nagayama's party and a few others asked for help. Nowadays, he was even lecturing the Court Mages and their apprentices.

From a non-combatant to a lecturer and researcher, Yamamoto made use of his skills in another way that Kouki couldn't really say was wrong and unhelpful. Saying 'no' to helpful suggestions to improve healing and support magic as well as mana efficiency and so on was akin to saying Break-san's lectures were nothing more than a bother. Kouki appreciated the help as he too was lacking in some of the mentioned fields.

But even still, Kouki avoided him out of anxiety as his mind always wandered back to their conversation.

The same conversation where he couldn't accept the message the guy conveyed despite the evidence put on display.

'I was wrong… About Nagumo's friendship with Hiyama. About Kaori's feelings. About the responsibility to help— No!'

He didn't notice his gloved fist tighten into a ball. Anger would've surged through him had his firm belief not taken the lead first and given his handsome features another scowl.

'It's not wrong to help others. There's nothing wrong about that!'

He may have misunderstood Nagumo. The guy wasn't weak-willed. His victory over Hiyama and the others was proof of that. Despite the underhanded method, he was still brave enough to protect Kaori with his life even when he ran out of mana. Kouki admitted that he was wrong about the guy and his circumstances, but only partially.

Had Nagumo been serious with training from the start, he wouldn't have been struggling to protect Kaori with his life in the first place.

On Kaori's case, he couldn't keep denying that she was only helping Nagumo out of pity. She was genuinely trying to find a way to repay him for saving her life. Shizuku said as much after the incident. When Kouki tried to deny it, however, saying Shizuku and Kaori might've just been mistaken or led astray by Yamamoto, the sharp slap to his face had the gallant Hero stunned to silence.

_'Stop being so self-centered and think for a second. Or is it that you can't even trust your friends when we do what _we_ think is right?'_

Shizuku apologized immediately after but refused to even spare him a glance when he remained stubborn. The conversation had left him on a sour note with his two closest friends. And even when they did sit together, they kept him at a slight distance when it came to Nagumo or Yamamoto.

After giving it some thought, Kouki decided to just let the two do as they wish.

It didn't sit well with him, letting Kaori just express her kindness like that. Or Shizuku just agreeing to let her best friend do so. He was afraid of them being taking advantage of. It's not that he didn't trust his childhood friends.

He just didn't trust the people they had been associating with lately.

Looking over to Shizuku and Kaori, they were helping Nagumo water the horses while Yamamoto was being pestered by Taniguchi and the children that came along for the journey. Though it would've made for a pretty normal scene where the neighborhood big brother was playing around with the local kids, the sight bothered Kouki.

But he didn't understand why. So, he left them alone.

'They'll see. Someday, I'll prove that I'm correct about—!'

About what, though? About Yamamoto manipulating them? About Shizuku and Kaori being wrong? About Nagumo not being the person they thought he was? About all of them being wrong and bad for not letting him show them the error of their ways?

Kouki shook his head and wiped the train of thought from his mind.

'Stop it. They're not bad people. They're just wrong.'

He didn't like thinking people were evil. Even what Yamamoto stood for, having the ability and strength to help but staying back due to not wanting to be held responsible, could've just been misguided beliefs.

After all, having the power to help others was what power was all about! If it wasn't, then why have it in the first place? To do wrong? No. His beloved grandfather had taught him what he knew.

'Power is for the sake of the people. To abuse it is to hurt the people. To abandon it is to abandon the people. If one doesn't use the power they have for justice and righteousness, then they are wrong and have to be punished to be shown the right path.'

'Until they're ready, I'll show them. I'm a Hero, aren't I?'

"I knew it! Kouki-kun's really bothered by something." He didn't notice until now that Eri had her face thrust just in front of him. "It's really hurtful, you know, lying to your comrades like that."

"Eh? Ah—!" Kouki didn't get it until Eri pointed out his initial mistake: denial. Attempting to put the normalcy back on his face, he gave the bespectacled girl his confident smile. Or, about as confident as he could, considering his agitated self. "Sorry, Nakamura-san. I… I'm just not really feeling well today."

"Kouki-kun is still so harsh."

"Eh?"

"You keep calling me 'Nakamura'. Even though when we met, you told everyone to call you by your first name. Somehow, it's really upsetting."

"W-what's wrong, Nakamura?"

Kouki was even more flustered now. The girl with a short bob-cut was making a sad face behind her glasses as she looked away from him, telltale signs that he did something to offend her. But as he rarely conversed with one of the most reserved of his classmates, he didn't understand what was wrong at all or how to remedy it.

"If I've done something to offend you, I apologize, Nakamura-san! It's just… just that I—"

"'Eri.'" She interrupted him with her back turned. "Call me 'Eri' like I call you 'Kouki-kun'."

"… Sorry… Naka—," she gave him a slight glance over her shoulder as if waiting him to finish. "Eri… Sorry. I was just… thinking about a lot of things… I apologize I wasn't paying Eri any attention."

"… you finally look at me and only me…"

"Eh? What do you mean by that?"

He thought he heard her whisper something, but when she gave him a smile, she merely shook her head.

"It's nothing. I just came here because I was worried for Kouki-kun. You've been strangely gloomy ever since that incident with Nakano-kun and Nagumo-kun. I was thinking you were concerned if it would happen again."

He wasn't. The thought never even crossed his mind. He had been so focused on Yamamoto and the actions that resulted because of him that he had been thoroughly ignorant and distracted from the cause of said incident.

'What a fool I've been!' he cursed his ignorance. 'Making her anxious for my sake…'

"Thank you, Naka—Eri. For worrying about me." He nodded after a deep sigh. "I caused you trouble. But thanks to Eri's words, I'm alright now."

He gave her his confident smile in its full luster. This brought a blush to her face, but Kouki just dismissed it as her worries being relieved. That or she was just tried from the journey and was still worried for his sake.

Glancing over to Kaori and Shizuku who were now enjoying a laugh with Nagumo as they watched Suzu kick Yamamoto's shin, Kouki still felt a deep sense of unease. But he held it together. As he was a Hero, he shouldn't let the little things get to him.

'One day.' He thought. 'One day, they'll see that I'm right. When that time comes, I'll change their minds and be there to help them.'

As he watched his two female childhood friends, he felt another set of eyes bore into his very being. Turning to come eye-to-eye with Nakamura, the sharpened gaze lessened somewhat, but he knew it came from the girl stood next to him.

"Is something wrong, Eri?"

"No, not at all." She smiled reassuringly while sadly turning away.. "I was just worried you'd start making that troubled face again. I don't like you making that face."

"I won't." He reassured her back. "I told you, didn't I? Eri's words have calmed me down."

She didn't look him in the eyes this time, but she nodded to acknowledge his response.

"Hey, want to go take a walk along with the others?"

"Sure." Being invited, he wasn't one to turn her down. As he had nothing to do, with the light manual labor already taken care of by his other, bulkier childhood pal, Kouki nodded and led the way around the camp. All the while, Naka—, no, Eri, accompanied him with a smile on her face.

They were soon joined by the usual group and others. Taniguchi was a little late and in a sour mood due to Yamamoto's apparent teasing. Kaori and Shizuku also joined in for the walk. Even though they didn't interact as much with Kouki, they weren't so mean as to completely ignore him. The rest of the class that followed didn't bother them much. They never noticed the worries that plagued Kouki besides Eri.

For that he was grateful to her.

As for his childhood friends, he disagreed with them, yes. But that wasn't enough to compromise their friendship. At least, Kouki believed they weren't that shallow. So he decided to just enjoy this moment.

They joked, laughed, enjoyed exploring the hillside while interacting with their escorts. One of which, a knight they often saw in training, was kind enough to give them tips as to identifying notable environmental factors in case of an encounter. He also pointed out landmarks to note in case they got lost.

"From here, you can see the Divine Mountain just by looking towards the north. The Church's Holy Temple is just right above those thick white clouds, Apostles-sama."

"Oh, it's a beautiful sight from here."

"Kaori's 'mounds' are also a beautiful sight from—Owowowowowowow!"

"Suzu, reign in your perverted old-man-mode."

"That really hurts, Shizu-neesama!"

"It's your own fault, Suzu-chan."

"Eh?! E tu, Eririn?!"

"Thanks for guiding us, Alan-san. The tips are sure to be helpful in the future."

"Think nothing of it, Hero-sama. I'm glad I could be of help."

The smile he received from the knight was so reassuring that Kouki couldn't help but return it with his own genuine one. The sun was shining. He was having fun with his friends. They even got a few tips from the nice people of Tortus.

All in all, it seemed like any other normal day for the Hero.

"CAPTAIN! WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM!"

That is, until one of the groups returned with bad news.

* * *

The expression Meld had on was a bit too relaxed. Even though the other travelers had worried faces on, he approached the panicked group calmly. It seemed like a monster encounter within the country's borders was still something to be worried about, but the rumored strongest man alive in Tortus shrugged it off like it was another normal day. Hajime respected the guy's composure.

"Oi, Meld! Should'ah ready the wagons fer leavin'?" The exception of the civilian group, Hector, casually raised his voice to be heard from the front of the parked carriages.

"No need. Have the civilians stand by at the camp while we prepare for engagement." The Knight Commander then turned to the rest of the Apostles and one of his men. "Everyone, gather round now! Reed, organize a protection detail for the non-combatants. Take twenty, half and half between knights and mages."

As soon as the order was given, the man turned and was followed by nearly two dozen men and women. This left the rest of the Apostles to stand behind Meld with an approaching knight carrying what appeared to be a person wrapped in a thick coat and a heavily panting party consisting of Hatayama-sensei's group plus fan club trailing after him. Hajime winced at the sight of their faces. They looked like they saw a dead body.

"Report, Kyle." Meld ordered the man as he arrived and kneeled to lower the unconscious figure. "What's this you've found?"

"Sir! Our group found this girl as we were hiking." Pulling back the hood, the face of a young woman covered in bruises and blood was made clear by those in the front. "When we heard Sugawara-sama's screaming, I ordered two others to scout out the area where she came from following her blood trails. Alex and I checked on the Apostles-sama. When the other two came back, there were signs of a ruined carriage just beyond the earlier established safety perimeter. Dire Fang prints were found all over the place."

"Any other victims?" Meld calmly strode forward. His brows furrowed even more at the news but relaxed as he checked the girl's pulse. Her chest seemed to rise slowly every now and then, proof she lived. "Any one left alive to explain?"

"I'm sorry, sir. No one else survived. But before this girl fell unconscious, she was rambling about a pack. Kept saying 'They're coming' until she fell quiet."

Meld winced at this before checking on the girl again. This time, he pulled back the rest of her coat. It was then that everyone else recoiled in abject horror.

Hajime had to cover his mouth lest he spill the lunch they just had.

"What the—?!"

"Hurk!"

"Ugh, what the hell?!"

Lacerations, bruises, and gouges the size of sword wounds, baseballs, and knife stabs respectively covered her torso and abdomen. Her limbs weren't safe either. Her arms were not only bent at an awkward angle, one of them was snapped between the wrist and elbow. Blood streaked down her thighs in large amounts. Other sections of her skin had tissue and what looked like bone fragments sticking out. There was also a somewhat greenish fluid here and there accompanied by what looked like yellow pus.

Despite the skimpy rags the woman had on to cover the essentials, the sight was neither titillating nor embarrassing to look at. It was just godawful. Such a sight wasn't even legal for broadcasting on public television and was more of the body horror type found on the dark side of the internet.

Hajime couldn't take it and joined the many that reeled back to avert their gazes from the gruesome sight.

"This is horrible. Fetch a healer. See if she can be saved—"

"That will not be necessary, Loggins-sama." A younger man's voice interrupted the older knight's. The priest named Deene stepped forth and gave the victim something Hajime can only describe as a look of pity mixed with disgust. "There's no point in wasting Ehito-sama's blessing on a slave. Even more so on a demi-human."

"We don't have time for sermons, priest." Meld made to argue, but Deene Ambrogio stood tall against the glowering man. "This kid could very well be the only surviving witness to—"

"Are you, perhaps, willing to disobey Ehito-sama's edicts and lower yourself to heal _their spawn_?"

There was hate in his tone. A fanatical one. Hajime knew the nuances of those words. It was the Church's teachings that forbade mercy upon demi-humans and demons alike. He more than got the gist of _that_ aspect of their religion from the library alone. Right now, Meld needed to know what was happening, but the only way to do so was by saving the girl. This put him in a tight spot.

"Then, if it's by Anima's, it shouldn't be a problem. Is that correct, Ambrogio-sama?"

Not wasting time, Eichirou approached the woman and kneeled down. He checked her breathing with an ear to her partially wounded chest then slowly ran a hand around her wounds, checking each and every injury. His hand had checked the back of her head, her arms, even noting the scaly deformed stump on her lower back.

Arriving at the slightly bulging torso, Eichirou had winced and immediately wrapped her back into the cloak. Not waiting for an answer from either of the two dumbstruck men, he picked the girl up carefully. Blood spilled on his chest and arms as he shifted slightly under the additional weight.

Yet his violet eyes remained determined as he adjusted his glasses and relayed orders.

"Kentarou, I need a stone table, waist high and flat, length two meters, width half, by the camp. Jugo, get me some containers for water and a knife. The one used for meat and bone. If not, find me the shortest dagger you can find. Kousuke, I need towels, a lot of them. Yoshino, please assist Kousuke. Ayako, Hajime, follow me."

It took them a moment. Just one. But as soon as it passed, they were already moving. Hajime quickly followed after his friend who brushed past the stumped classmates and knight mages with a nervously fidgeting Ayako following just behind.

"Oy, E-Eichirou!" She quickly said. "Shouldn't we leave her to the knight order's heal—"

"There's no magic in their repertoire that can heal snapped bone. Fractured ones and open wounds, maybe, but this woman's arms and legs are beyond that now."

_"…. As I command thee, Stone Wall!"_ The earth parted as their resident Geomancer whipped up the table with as precise measurements as Eichirou had requested. "Eichin, this good?"

"Perfect." A wave of his hand above the stony surface and Hajime noted the whisper that followed. _"Purifico"_

To serve as proof to his earlier words, the woman's cloak was pulled back as he settled her atop the stone. The limb that flopped out was twisted at an unnatural angle. So much so that Ayako, who stood on the side where the limb fell towards, immediately turned around, falling to her knees, and vomited heavily.

"Hajime, prepare two water spell slips. One to fill Jugo's container, the other to give Ayako a drink."

"Should I purify both?" At his friend's nod, Hajime pulled out two stone tablets from his person. Normally, he would've drawn up the slip via writing on paper with his alternatively transmuted pencil. But after much deliberation, and a suggested joke from Eichirou, he made this contraption.

_"Transmute." _With two slips of paper back-to-back squeezed between the tablets, the desired spell circle was quickly printed on the two slips in less than half a second. One was even edited to be of a smaller effect than the other. All this was made possible due to the Portable Spell Printer(Copyright-Free Because Isekai). Or PSP(C-FBI) for short._ "Collect from the air and disperse all impurities. Gather, as I command thee, Water Sphere."_

A swirling ball of clear water the size of a fist collected before the slip but didn't fall. Instead, it remained suspended in the air barely an inch from the piece of paper. Previous iterations of this spell was muddled and tasted awful due to dust and other impurities getting mixed in with the basic water ball spell. But after a little tinkering, and some review on science and chemistry, something that Hajime was glad he had a minor interest in due to the alchemy manga, Eichirou had managed to create a water spell with drinkability.

Certain tweaks could even give it flavoring if needed.

"Ayako-san, please sit up." Once she was done with her business, he floated the ball over to her, letting her sip off the clear orb. The vomit on her lips didn't mix in, instead being washed away and dropped to the ground by the water entirely. It didn't shrink much either. These were special properties of the magic circle that did its job and collected even more water from the air to replenish its stock while keeping out impurities. "Feel better?"

At her nod, Hajime dispersed the spell slip into ashes and stood back up. Then his eyes locked with Nomura Kentarou whose brows and cheek were visibly twitching.

'Ah! Shit… This is awkward...'

"Kentarou, watch over Ayako for a bit until she calms down. Hajime, the water spell." They quickly broke their staring contest as Jugo and the other two arrived. "Yoshino, please put the towels in there then activate Hajime's water spell in the container."

Doing as she was told, Yoshino Mao complied to the letter. Her class as Invoker allowed her flexibility in casting all elements and was, by technicality, more adept at casting Eichirou's custom spell. The only reason Hajime was able to cast the water sphere spell for Ayako was due to it being as small as a glass of water. The one he drew up and gave to Yoshino was large enough to full the large, tub-like bin.

"I couldn't find a knife like you were asking for. So I brought this." Jugo had pulled out a dagger slightly longer than a knife and handed it, handle-first, to Eichirou. "It's from one of the knights. They said it's a bit dirty and hadn't been used for anything else other than carving up monsters for their magic crystals."

Eichirou took a glance at the blade, measured it by hand, then passed it to Hajime.

"Transmute it down, about hand-length. Don't get rid of the metal, just compress it into the blade. Sterilize via the boiling variant of the spell."

Prep work took seconds. The actual morphing of the blades, only a few more. It was different compared to turning a table utensil into a deadly weapon all those weeks ago. That day when he took a fork and turned it into a long needle, he failed miserably. Abysmally. It was to the point that he had nearly given up using his skill for combat as even utilizing it to make weapons seemed like a far flung dream.

He was glad he didn't give up. Even more so that he practiced with Eichirou. His skill now wasn't like back then.

The metal shift and shrunk. The knife in general grew slightly heavier by the handle as its center of gravity realigned to the hilt of the smaller blade that it was now. Perfectly shaped, a sharpened edge, the weight was equally distributed from blade to handle as it was morphed carefully so that it didn't ruin the craftsmanship or the pommel.

_"Collect from the air and disperse all impurities. Vibrate with heat until liquid turns to gas. Gather and Simmer, as I command thee, Boiling Water Sphere."_

A light tweak in temperature and an additional line was added. The spell circle succeeded with a steaming ball of water in the air before him. As it had an additional line, Hajime was forced to drink one of his on-hand magic potions.

Empty bottle tucked away, he plunged the knife into the orb, blade-deep. He allowed the tool some time to heat up for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Kentarou and Jugo had stepped up to help Eichirou as the guy carefully checked on the patient.

_"Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"_ The spell activated without incident and the girl was quietly breathing, seemingly asleep. With the knife currently in his hand and the excuse he gave Ayako just a minute ago, Hajime understood what Eichirou was planning on doing and was glad she was asleep. "Lift her up so we can adjust her on the stone."

A nod and grunt later, the girl's arm was held on the wrist gently by Jugo. After giving instructions to slowly move her arm up to her head in circular motions, Hajime realized it was the FARES method for treating dislocations. How he noticed such an injury was beyond Hajime.

"I didn't know you were a medical professional. First the poison, now this." Even Kousuke sounded impressed.

"You pick stuff up when you travel. You can only fret over your siblings getting injured so much until you try learning to take care of them on your own. First-aid was easier when it wasn't bone and internal organs, though."

"Are you planning on cutting her open then?!"

The question they all wanted an answer for. What other conclusion would they arrive to when he readied a lot of water and a sterilized knife?

"Only if necessary."

That's the only excuse he gave until others arrived. Three most notably, Deene who wore an infuriated expression, Meld who wore a concerned one, and finally Ai-chan-sensei. She was a jumble of emotions packed thick with the spice of 'panic'.

"Yamamoto-sama! You shouldn't dirty your hands with the filthy demi-human! Please, leave that thing be—"

"Ignore him, Eichirou! Do what you can. Right now, we need to find out what she knows about the attack—"

"Yamamoto-kun! What do you think you're doing?! You should leave this to the professionals! Sensei won't allow this—"

_"Confuto."_

The trio were silenced with a wave of his hand. Even Hajime felt something tighten around his own throat. Eichirou glanced at them all before waving again once more, the mysterious spell that required no circle lifted.

Hajime knew about this method of casting. He didn't understand if it was a certain skill that Yamamoto was hiding or something else. Even still, he didn't pry. He never tried again after Eichirou refused to answer him the first time he asked. For helping him and even saving his life, he thought he should at least respect the guy's privacy.

But he did know one thing about it. Whenever Eichirou used the mystery skill, his eyes would glow with violet light. Even behind his glasses, it was a mesmerizing sight. One that had the other three stunned silent.

But be it either by the spell suddenly holding their tongues or Eichirou's glowering expression, not one made to talk after the effects were dispelled.

"Kousuke, please escort the noisy ones away from the operating table. Hajime, keep the water boiling and take out the knife."

He complied. The three were ushered away by Kousuke and they were left with the rest of the class and knights as an audience that remained a fair distance away. The civilians at the other side of the camp watched with awe and worry as they wondered what was going to happen. With the knife out, Eichirou plunged his own leather gloves into the steaming-hot orb of water.

Disinfecting done and sterilized knife in hand, Eichirou went to work.

With a knife, he made to cleanly cut open her skin and right a few out-of-place bone fragments. It drew disgust from the class, but none stepped up to stop him. Hajime noted Kouki being held back by Kaori as Eichirou, seamlessly unbothered by the gruesome nature of the task, pressed on.

Wiping those with cleaned cloth and healing them shut, he then turned to do check her green-hued stab wounds. After verifying those a few minutes into the operation, he ignored them for now and moved over the cleaned yet oddly shaped swelling. It was then Hajime had to look away in disgust but, with a glance, saw the true reason as to why Eichirou needed to cut her open.

"What are those?"

"Ugh, don't look!"

"HRRRMP! URRRGGHH!"

More than a few of the civilians had to turn away. The knights kept watching, not as disgusted but still somewhat disturbed. The rest of the classmates all started looking at the operator and the surgery with horror and revulsion.

Hajime, getting the front row view with Jugo and Yoshino, sympathized with them. After all, he didn't expect bloody sacks of god-knows what to be taken out of the bulge in her belly. What he originally thought was a bruised swelling in the torso was actually an inhumane storage compartment made from a cavity in her own stomach.

Scrunched up right next to her internal organs, the objects obviously foreign to her system caused the girl to shift slightly in her sleep as Eichirou moved quickly and closed the incision with a short recovery spell before bleeding overflowed. He then had Yoshino use what clean water was left to wash the green-fluid oozing wounds and sealed them shut, where they suddenly turned into greenish bruises.

A sling had been prepared for her limb, and soon, she was mostly done.

"This will do. Ayako, the one we practiced. Only her body, okay?" Once her body was wiped clean with another towel, Eichirou spoke up. Less panicked and more composed, the teen surgeon looked to the girl with a voice as calm as the sea. "Remember. You don't have to look at her when casting. Just maintain your stance, use only a small amount of exposure, and focus on the image in your head."

"Eh, er…"

"Don't worry, Ayako. Trust me. You can do it." Trying to sound helpful, Kentarou whispered his support with a hand to her shoulder.

"Right…"

Gulping deeply, the girl took a slip of paper from her belt pocket, breathed deep, and began chanting. She had her eyes closed all the while. Hajime suspected it was more to keep from remembering the previous gore than it was to concentrate on the spell.

_"Mend the bones and seal the cracks. Restore this child's foundation. Let her walk under morning's light once more. Light's Ray!"_

The staff she wielded shone with bright light that bathed only the patched-up woman under the recovery spell. Despite being a type of light mage, Tsuji Ayako's Priest class was more of an exorcist and anti-undead barrier-making magician. Healing magic was her weaker side and offensive magic was beyond her.

But the aptitude to light magic was in her favor, and having been training under Eichirou, she had a better grasp of the heavily modified healing spell that worked differently compared to the surface level recovery spells.

"What is that healing magic?"

"Even the broken bones are—?!"

The mages of the Knight Order stared in awe as the leg bones that had their fragments shattered and the arm that was snapped beyond recognition quickly return to their original form and straightened out under the glow. The patient's head shifted slightly but didn't wake. A relief as Hajime knew if she wasn't, she might have felt pain all over.

The relief spell may have been in effect, but it was hardly anesthesia.

That being said, the spell Ayako was using to mend the broken girl was flashy, literally and figuratively. On cast, it seemed like an advanced healing spell that required higher aptitude and magic power. But on paper, it was so much more than that.

The light element had an intriguing aspect to it. It was, obviously, 'light'. But in science, it was part of the electromagnetic spectrum. In other words, besides accelerating the body's natural healing, the light element could access certain radiation levels. Specifically X-rays. Using this property that reached into the target's skeletal structure, Ayako was able to manipulate the light's scientific aspects to grasp the skeletal injuries of the person in question and even affect it.

As a safety precaution, it resembled a lamp light directed over just the body of the patient on the table more. It wasn't like the grand majestic holy beam from a cleric using a high-tier healing spell. And instead of lasting like a glorious eternity, this one more resembled a flash from those ancient cameras.

As it was just an instant and had a limited scope, the patient wouldn't be harmed much by the possible radiation effects.

Limited to X-rays, the effects gave the mage a clear image as to what they wanted to heal. In this case, the slave girl's shattered limbs. With the spell's light attribute instructed to make a scan of the target, the image was then stored inside the caster's head.

An instant was all she needed to know where and how to apply healing magic accordingly to the damages beneath her skin. Not flesh nor clothing could block the spell's effects as the light attribute was manipulated to only jump back after coming across bone.

What Eichirou essentially did was create a magic capable of X-ray scans. As recovery magic required an image of the injury in question, both _what needed to be healed_ and _how it can be healed_ were normally limited to skin and flesh. As it were now, Ayako could use it to heal microfractures as well. And thanks to her image practicing, she managed to remember the image received via the spell perfectly.

All Eichirou had done was put back what needed to be returned. Bone fragments, external fractures, and a dislocation. All the things that, by normal healing, would require extra work. Once that was done, he sealed the wounds with the cleaned towels to let Ayako work her bone-mending magic.

_"Heal the wounds, relieve the flesh. Light's Blessing!"_

Under the light of the follow-up spell, the girl's body was restored. Her fair skin was slightly pale but wasn't as bloody and grotesque as it was before. Her long limbs were now straightened. Even her once marred face now only had light scratches. The remaining lesions were possibly old wounds.

She was a plain-looking girl. The long hair that was dirty and splayed out was straight and dark with a hint of orange. Had it been cleaned of blood and grime, it might've been vibrant orange. Despite the dirty rags she had on, her figure wasn't really that bad other than being scarred in places and malnourished. She looked younger than expected. There were also scales scattered all over her body.

Hajime never noticed it, probably due to the horrible injuries before, but she had reptilian scales covering her arms, shins, shoulders, chest, and neck. She even had a tail that regrew quickly from the stump under Ayako's healing spell. Though Hajime couldn't confirm if her entire back was scaly as well now that her other physical features were restored, he didn't have time to see everything to recognize a lizard girl.

Somewhere in his heart, he wanted to squeal in excitement at seeing something so much templated from an isekai. However, he was also slightly disappointed as it wasn't a cat girl. Or dog girl. Hell, he would've settled for a bunny girl as long as he had something fluffy to rub.

But now was neither the time not the place.

"Hajime, we're using that spell." Eichirou had the girl wrapped up in his own coat, her bloody one already tossed onto the ground. "The poisons shouldn't have gotten far so we'll use the one-circle variant. If we hurry, we can drain both without much side effects."

'Both?' A quick glance at the greenish fluid stuck to one of the towels and the bloody sacks that were spilling an oddly-colored powder on the ground and Hajime understood. A hand to the stone table, Hajime drew it up from memory. The so-called antidote spell he had the greatest ease in recreating through Transmuting but only Eichirou could activate. _"Transmute."_

The complex diagram of words written in circles using a language he understood but knew not its origins formed beneath the girl's body without having to lift her up off the table.

It was a strange thing at the time, this spell's creation that is. One moment, they were relaxing and having a break. In the next, Eichirou was quickly jotting down a sketch of the piece. It was like he was a raving lunatic having a migraine at the time. After a while, he explained he just remembered something, and, for fear of losing it, wrote it down as fast as he could.

A likely excuse, however, it was amazing. Amazing enough that though Hajime was curious about it, he also felt something off about the formation. The lines were made out of phrases and symbols. Not the standard traced line or curved arches used by the other spells found in the library's records. It was so unlike Tortus' magic circles, but they worked to a degree with the mana present in this world.

It also felt so familiar. As if it was something he should've known as common sense yet forgot as soon as he tried remembering.

It was… peculiar.

Hajime didn't have time to contemplate as the circle's rainbow light blessed the woman's body upon activation. The magic began to work and color returned to the patient's skin. She also began to visibly breathe heavily.

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was also that moment that a howl cut through the distance.

"DIRE FANGS!" One of the knights standing guard by the forest area shouted. This prompted the others into action.

"Vanguards, Defensive line! Mages, at the ready!"

Recovering his voice, Meld stood tall as he ordered his men into position. Without a moment's hesitation, around twenty or so knights all followed accordingly, positioning themselves between the tree line and camp by the riverside. The mage group behind them also readied themselves. However, there was an oddity to the formation. There were several obvious gaps to it. As if they were lacking manpower to fully form a line.

"What are you waiting for? Get into formation! Don't tell me your training's all talk!"

Directing his voice at their classmates, they all began scrambling to join their respective parties in a panic. Their expressions were tense.

"Ayako should need some potions to recover her magic after that." Even Eichirou was nervously sweating as he handed Hajime a few bottles while maintaining the spell that caused the girl to cry and cough up yellow-green fluid from her closed eyes, nose and mouth. "Here, use mine and go. I'll handle this."

'You sure?' Hajime would've asked, but Eichirou just gave him a reassuring smile and a nod before he could.

"Her life is out of danger. She'll be fine and just needs to rest. Go." The reassuring smile turned into a knowing smirk. "Show them what a Synergist can do when he gets seriously into magic."

Hajime paused at this. He had already shown his classmates just how impressive his growth was. Even having the weakest stats, he was able to stand toe-to-toe with four of them. Though severely underestimated, he succeeded just barely. There was no point in showing off that he wasn't the same weak kid before Tortus.

But if he was being asked to show the results of his research-turned-hobby with Eichirou, that was another thing. It wasn't to show off his growth. It was to display the fruits of he and his friend's labor.

"You got it." Returning that smirk to his best friend, Hajime rushed after the rest of the class, Jugo and co. sprinting along with him.

"So, Hachin, what's the plan?" Kentarou asked as soon as they got into position.

Hajime was no strategist. He wasn't even made party leader. That honor was unanimously given to Eichirou by everyone. Mostly because when it came to who talked loudest, Ayako and the others tossed him into the fire. Wanting to avoid responsibility, Jugo and Kousuke did the same.

It was more dumping the troublesome job to the guy than actually thinking he was a good person for the job.

But in all honesty, Hajime couldn't hold a candle to Eichirou as he didn't have the skills of a leader. Despite his reluctance and humility, the guy who could counter each and every move they threw at him in practice was much more knowledgeable about their group's cohesion than the hastily added member that was the Synergist.

But that wasn't a detriment. After all, he had grown to at least trust these people as friends after getting to know and train with them in the months' time he improved. They trusted him back as well. Not to the degree of deep friendship, but enough for watching each other's backs in a fight.

It wasn't perfect, but it was a start compared to the animosity they all gave him on Earth.

"First things first. Ayako-san, please cast this on everyone here. Kentarou-kun will use this there. And Yoshino-san will be ready with these…"

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Just as he gave them their instructions and custom spell slips, the wolves made their appearance.

* * *

The knights were in formation and ready to intercept. The Apostles were too. And even though they had the strength of twice his men each right now, Kouki being four times that, they still held reserved faces.

That much was obvious. This was their first real fight with monsters after all. Their opponents were no pushovers either.

Dire Fangs. Monsters that resembled wolves but with darker fur. Some say that their dark coats was due to being soaked in the blood of their victims. Hence the darker patterns and streaks. However, that was just hearsay. The beast was more than just a simple variant of wolves.

Not only were they faster than their animal counterparts, the older monsters grew tall enough to dwarf a man by a head. With their leg power, it was enough for them to leap over two rows of spear infantry. They even had the muscles to brush past three rows.

Their fangs were notably dagger-like and had a potent poison made from certain glands in their throats being infused with power from their core magic crystal. Originally thought to be some form of incurable curse, this meant that any poison that dripped from their fangs were magical in nature and would require magic-infused antidotes.

One look at Eichirou's work on the slave girl, however, such worries were unwarranted as his original healing magic was taking care of it with apparent ease.

The inventiveness of the boy was impressive. Taking a few weeks of research, he had grown to a competent level comparable to that of the Court Mages. He more than impressed them with his alterations to their circles that boasted efficiency and scale.

His spell would also come in handy if anyone were to get infected with poison. Though Meld prepared antidotes in case, he would still ask Eichirou if it would be okay to have him heal it instead. Knowing the boy's pragmatic nature, there was no chance of him disagreeing.

If his protégé was anything to go by, Meld would commend such ingenuity, even if it offended the priest.

However, something else caught Meld's eye.

It was the one group that didn't seemed fazed at all. They stood on the rear with the rest of the mages and had more unsettling visages than the ready vanguards or the cautious civilians.

Eichirou's party, unsurprising that they voted him the leader when he accepted the King's invitation, was readying a contraption with their leader currently absent. In his place, the Synergist, originally dismissed as incompetent by his peers due to Meld's lack of forethought on privacy, was giving instructions that each and every one of the party members took calmly yet resolutely.

Strange to see the role reversal in the absentee from training. More so now that he was instructing those who attended almost every day.

Though interested in their plan of action as well as their stone-built tool that resembled a leaning pipe, he didn't really have the time to watch over it all, or most of the Apostles for that matter. Due to his position as their trainer, he needed to prioritize their growth as well as their survival. But because of the war, he needed the Hero on the top of that list.

It was why he accepted Eichirou's suggestion in the first place.

_'Give them a chance to explore the surrounding area at their own leisure. If they didn't perceive it as training, they wouldn't be stressing out about it even if it was a break from the travel.'_

A training session that was not. How was such a thing possible? You manufactured it to be so.

By giving them an opponent to fight, it was possible to reduce their stress by providing a controlled scenario where they utilize their training to win against an 'unexpected opponent'.

Originally, he planned on clearing the area and have the knights bait some low-level monsters in 'by accident'. It was lucky that Dire Fangs were present in the area. Though he was no actor, the victim's circumstances led to the perfect outcome for this 'exercise'. However, the cause for their presence was concerning.

'What were they even doing out here?'

No one should've been camping out in the forest. It was against common sense to do so when monsters could be afoot. There was a reason their group opted for the riverbank in the first place.

It was easily defensible with the river blocking one side and the nearby elevated hills giving them a vantage point for incoming attacks. It was also a fair distance away from the trees, an anti-ambush position, so to speak. There was also the road which allowed for a quick escape given the need for it.

But in any case, Meld decided he'll save that investigation for later. Concerning as the monster's first victims were, he had a job to do right now. Though, he hoped for the child's recovery even if it was a demi-human.

He needed information, sure. But he didn't wish for the girl to come to more harm than she might've already endured.

"Meld-san," One of Eichirou's party members approached Meld, the peace of mind in his expression was like that of a disciplined veteran soldier. He even saluted like one, the old-man-face he was born with betrayed his teenage youth. "We need to ask you a favor."

"What is it, Jugo?"

"We'd like to request that you hold off on having the others engage until we've done our part."

Though he expected some of them to be eager to test their skill, he didn't expect the overly cautious Nagayama Jugo to be one of them. From training alone, the knight already noted that this Heavy Knight didn't move to offense as long as he believed he couldn't succeed in the first try.

"You want to start first?" Meld asked in mild surprise. "Even if you're feeling that confident in your skills, I think it's better to fight alongside your comrades as a team."

"Oh, no worries, Meld-san. We plan on it." The young man smiled. "However, we'd appreciate it if you bought us a little time to test something."

Meld was second guessing whether he should stop the guy and his party, but then he remembered Eichirou's words.

_'And after all, showing them that they've improved should raise their spirits somewhat. This should be done on their own though. Hand-holding isn't going to help any.'_

Taking those words into account, he was to 'show' them. Not interfere, or instruct, but rather allow them to learn of it through their own success.

'I guess his suggestion of a stress relief requires me to stand down. Hmph. Even I get the benefit of just playing observer.' A grin crept up the unseen side of Meld's face. 'Stress relief indeed. If Jugo and the others were pumped enough to try attacking first, then it would be a damper of me to interfere, now wouldn't it?'

"Go on then. Alan!, have everyone hold. That goes for all of you! Do not engage unless ordered to!"

Giving his permission, he instructed the knights and the other Apostles to stand their ground. Not one showed much resistance to his command.

The wolves were still gathering at the edge of the clearing, barking and howling as more of their numbers emerged from the trees. They currently numbered around thirty, less than half of which was close to adulthood. This meant that around twenty or so of their numbers were mere pups.

Perfect for long-range target practice.

The larger ones would be more difficult. But with his most well-trained knights holding the flanks, it shouldn't be too difficult to hold them back until the Apostles manage to take it down. His men could take adults with three per beast.

How would a mere six or seven compare against thirty children with the strength four times that of his soldiers while they were being guarded?

This was all going to plan.

"CLEAR!" FWUMP

That is, until he heard the shout and thump.

"What was that?"

"Are? Doesn't this sound like…?"

"Oy, Nagumo, what the hell are you guys doing?"

The Apostles on the front line were abuzz with talk at the sound. They took glances, but due to the knights standing by to support them from the rear, not one of them could see what the rear was doing. They were only able to hear Hajime's warning.

"You guys in the front, pay attention to the enemy!" Walking over to the troublemakers, Meld tried checking on what it is they were planning. "Oy, what's the idea? I thought you guys said you were planning on testing your magic?"

"Oh?" Responding to him with a serene face akin to Jugo's, Hajime answered. "We are, Meld-san. However, we couldn't actually test something like this if everyone was stuck in melee."

"What is it you're testing?" Now Meld was honestly curious. What form of long range magic required friendlies to stand back over a hundred meters and could reach the target at the same distance?

"Oh, just a little something from our world."

BOOM

That was the only answer Meld received until the explosion crashed into the beasts in the distance. From his position behind his men, he noted the burning earth and fallen trees as the Dire Fangs started scattering from the initial hit and began charging.

"CLEAR!" FWUMP

"CLEAR!" FWUMP

"CLEAR!" FWUMP CRACK

BOOM

"Hachin, this one's no good anymore. Should we make another?"

BOOM

"No need. We're moving to Phase Two."

BOOM

Another crater, and another, and another. More explosions were made from whatever objects they were dropping from the sky, killing another handful of pups and injuring an adult. For every object that landed, there were at least a handful of victims torn to shreds upon impact. All the while, the level-headed party calmly discussed their plans aloud.

Still, more of the Dires emerged from the forest and attacked. Two of which caused Meld's eyes to widen. Alarm bells rang in his head.

"The hell—? Alphas incoming! Brace!" ordering the vanguard to hold firm, he was about to tell the mages to ready fire, but Hajime's shouting yet serene tone overshadowed his voice.

"Kentarou-kun, lay the trap!"

"On it!" The Geomancer was positioned directly behind the knight's mages that his shout had a few of them jumping in surprise. A burning piece of paper vanishing from his hand as he struck the earth. _"Weave and weld. Hold tight and taut. Stay all who struggle. Let nothing escape thy grasp. Spread through the earth. Reach out and entangle all. Entrap, as I command thee, Terra Adhesive!"_

The ground before him or his staff wasn't affected at all. But the ground in front of the vanguard rumbled and churned. A yellowish brown ooze erupted from beneath the green grass and spread nearly halfway across the field, towards the oncoming Dires.

A warning was warranted. As one of the Alphas started charging, it breezed through halfway the first adult had already ran through in less than a few seconds. It's speed was incredible. It would soon be upon them.

And Meld doubted their trap would be enough to stop it.

"Oy, Hajime! That's an Alpha charging us!"

"I know."

"That's a pack leader! Where it goes, up to forty more pups are soon to follow!"

"I know."

"It'll take at least ten of my men to hold one back."

"I know."

Despite the anxiety in Meld's voice trying to caution the boy, Hajime's calm tone didn't let up. In fact, he just nodded and looked to his teammates.

"Yoshino-san, your turn. Meld-san, I advise you order everyone to duck." The warning was delivered as he ran up to support his other teammate, abandoning the contraption and leaving Jugo, Kentarou and Ayako to stand behind Mao. "Kentarou-kun, on my mark!"

_"Freeze the sky and the those that ride the wind. Hold them still for but a moment's grasp. Let not a single drop of their blood splash but shatter to the frozen air."_

"Kuh! To hell with it! Vanguard, get down!" Gritting his teeth, Meld didn't even need to hear the end of that chant to know what element the Invoker girl was going to use. And by the long aria it needed, it was going to be a big one.

"Now."

_"… as I command thee, Stone Spires!" "Transmute!"_

Spikes jutted out from the ground before the yellow tar. As they timed it simultaneously, the wolves found themselves rushing into a spear wall made up of multiple rows of stones and minerals made by the Geomancer and Synergist. The charge ground to a halt. The not-so-lucky early birds were massacred on the spot.

Meld noted that a few had turned to the sky, leaping over their skewered brethren. Some followed after by hopping over the dying corpses while more trampled them. Poison-dagger-like fangs were bared to tear into whatever they struck first.

But they weren't fast enough in a race against the drop in temperature.

_"By my finger's signal, I command thee, Cold Snap!"_

CLACKPSSSSSHHHHHHHH

That sounds of a clicking finger and shattering ice was all that was heard from the frontline as flying Dires in the air froze in one instant then shattered in the next. Those that initially thought they could leap over their fellows, coincidentally the only ones in Mao's line of sight, were vaporized with the snap of a finger, leaving only snow and ice to drift into the vanguards' dumbstruck faces.

_"Defend my people. Rise up and protect the masses. Let none enter this domain. Stand fast, as I command thee, Stalwart's Wall!"_

Ayako's timing was on point. Though the sound of cracking was heard, the defense didn't shatter as the Dires that escaped the flash freeze and were about to hit the front struck the barrier with yelps and whimpers. This caused the surviving attackers, several dozen pups, the remaining adults and the audacious fast-charging Alpha, to impact the fragile yet holding wall and bounce into the sticky trap beneath them.

The trap planted earlier worked wonders as strands of the adhesive clung to the fur of the hapless monsters. The more they struggled, the more they get entangled.

"Yosh, everyone! It's your turn! HAAAAAAH" CRUNCH

At Jugo's signal, the others paused for a second in hesitation. Who could blame them when they expected a struggle? This was a massacre.

When Kousuke began stabbing necks one after another, however, they all joined in, beating down on the trapped beasts. With the awkward landings placing the Dires on either their sides or backs, they were left vulnerable as swords, claws, spears, axes and hammers made short work of them. Though the Alpha took a little longer to put down, Kouki's Soaring Slash ended its resistance.

The pups that were stopped just outside the spear wall were also not left alone.

"Mages, at the ready!" Alan had that covered with his organizing the backline into formation. Soon he let his order fly. "Fire!"

Streams of fire and wind struck true at the Dire pups. Those that tried to circle around the front were met with a hail of water bombs and the spears of the elite flank guards.

It was all too easy. The number of casualties would've probably jumped to the seventies with the pups alone. With as many as forty or so in a valid assumption, the Apostles just cleaned house of two full Dire packs. But a thought immediately had Meld glaring at the tree line.

'Where's the other Alpha?!'

Dires were persistent beasts. They hunted in packs and never alone. Only out of desperation do they try one-on-one. But another factor to their nature was that they never retreated even in the face of death. Wolves and dogs were smart enough to know when to retreat. But Dire Fangs were always on the offensive. It was why they always had more pups than adults. Very few actually survived into adulthood due to their fervent nature of continuous attacks. With these numbers, they had nothing to fear as long as they won.

So begs the question: Where would the second Alpha Dire Fang be if it will never retreat?

"SAINT-SAMA!"

The answer was from the rear.

Popping out of the river, soaked black coat dripping wet, the second Alpha pawed its way towards Eichirou.

"Shit!"

They had been fooled. While their attention had been drawn by the charger, the second one took the riskier approach and dove into the river that flowed along the left flank. Even if he had posted his elite men on that flank, they were trained to always focus on the visible threat.

The sneaky pack leader managed to bypass them by hiding beneath the surface of the deep river. It's height that reached three heads above a man more than enough to challenge the two-meter-deep water.

"Eichirou!" Meld made to charge in swinging. Four of his men followed through. Training kicked in and his second-in-command for this mission, Alan, took control of the others in his absence. "We'll distract him! Hurry up and—"

"Protect the girl!"

"Wha—?!"

"I SAID 'PROTECT THE GIRL'!" Jumping away from the stone table where the teen performed surgery, Eichirou made to run back, away from the river and towards the hill. "Over here, you oversized rug! _Explode, as I command thee, Firebolt!_"

The flaming streak struck the beast on the head. It had been eyeing either side of itself, the civilians on its right and the rear of the mages in combat to the left, but then it let out a yelp upon fiery impact.

The firebolt struck true.

GRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAARF

Soon, it turned to growl as it rushed after the boy, quickly ignoring the demi-human slave on the nearby table as well as the guards and civilians standing still just a few meters away. It's target was made apparent by who struck first.

And it didn't stop running.

* * *

_'Eichirou! What the hell are you—!'_

'Less chatting, please!'

The hunt was almost over as soon as it started. With great leaps and bounds, the monstrous beast of a wolf-copycat dashed faster than he could run. It was just about to chomp on his shoulders when, Mia instinctively hijacked his arm and pulled out a slip

_"Light and Blow, as I command thee, Flashbang!"_

FLASHBOOM

The resounding crack and blinding light originating from the piece of paper he chucked over our head was enough to stun the beast into biting air. Eichirou took this chance to leap to the side as the Alpha crashed into the dirt, furiously rubbing its eyes.

However, he didn't make it far. I, as his passenger, was taken along for the ride.

"KUHO!"

_'Eichirou, get up! We don't have time to sleep!'_

'Do you _think_ I want to, Mia?!'

Due to the size of the beast, its sudden erratic flailing had its tail swung directly into Eichirou's side. Rolling over with blood spurting from his mouth, I knew he wouldn't be able to get back up from that one unscathed. Hence why I hijacked his legs as he resisted the pain on his side.

I felt his frustration. But as I was only holding control of his legs, I didn't feel the same pain.

To prove a point, Eichirou leaned awkwardly to one side as I stood him up straight by his legs alone.

_'What's the plan?'_

'Um…'

_'YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN?!'_

He drew the knife he had used earlier in the surgery. The short blade gleamed with sharpness.

_'Hey! Think of a better plan!'_

'Call the damn horse if you want me to have one. He has my spear!'

Though he may have a point, I couldn't just call out to Jacky. Though I could communicate with the animal and interact with it better than he ever will, there was no way I could switch over and call Blackjack in without getting the poor thing caught up with this… this monster!

"Oy," Meld, bless the man's brave soul, was trying to get close to assist. "Stand back and let us handle—!"

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Alpha's bellows was unexpectedly strong, it summoned a gale of wind that not only silenced Meld but threw off my balance. This in turn let Eichirou fall on his backside. Due to the incline, he began to helplessly roll down the hill. Away from the Alpha Dire.

'I have an idea!'

_'Is it a good one?!'_

All the while, the monster recovered its eyesight and charged once again.

'No, but it's better than nothing.' Just as he tumbled further, he threw the knife with precision timing into the thing's eye. "Gotcha!"

It struck true as a yelp escaped the beast as it leapt over us. But then there went our only hope.

_'Great! Just fucking great! It's blocking our only path of escape!'_

'Stuff it and help me think of a plan to escape!'

The fact that it stood between Meld and us was problematic enough. But as soon as it recovered from the knife to the eye, the monster had its remaining one locked onto us.

"Damn, Mark, fire a spell!"

_"Wind Blade!"_ A short chant later, something struck its backside. It didn't even turn around. "Dammit! It won't turn around!"

'Meld's still fighting. We need a plan. Come on! Think!'

I was in a panic. I couldn't think of anything to do. But then again, even Eichirou had stopped thinking rationally ever since ignoring my pleas. He very nearly pissed himself when he distracted the damn thing away from the civilians and the patient. There was no way he could think straight now that it was stalking him less than two meters away.

I was afraid. We both were. Death was staring at us in the face, and all we could do was pray it would leave us alone.

_'… Is… is this it?'_

'… wha—?'

_'Are we… going to die?'_

'Sshhh…'

_'What are you…!'_ I was about to ask, but he shushed me again.

'… don't… don't be afraid…' I didn't know whether he was trying to reassure me or himself. But I couldn't help myself.

_'… I'm… already afraid…'_

The brutal honesty was all I had left. I was just a voice in his head. I didn't even know if I could be called alive. But I wanted to live. I want to live. I don't like the idea of death. I didn't want to die.

The monster's bloodshot eyes thought differently.

**'… die…'**

'… what the….?!'

**'… the toy… must… die…!'**

"OVER HERE! HYAH!"

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Neither I nor Eichirou had time to process the deep voice that growled in our heads as Meld did what he could only do to save our life. The sword must've struck its hind legs and dug into flesh because, for a second, the wolf demon howled in pain. But it merely knocked him back into his men with a sudden shove of its shoulder.

"GUHO!"

**'Do not interfere… master's… orders… LYING TOY… MUST… DIE!'**

"Oho? You're really only after me… uho, aren't you…, you giant… bitch?"

From beyond the darkness of our panic, I heard Eichirou's coughing voice. It was defiant. Like he finally realized something. Being connected to him, I figured out why he was mad. His response was enough to call the Dire's attention.

**'… false prophet… must… die… lying toy… must… DIE!'**

"Come on then!" Raising himself off the ground after taking back control of his body, Eichirou raised his weaponless right arm towards the giant beast. Like he was winding up a punch to challenge it. "Try me!"

'Mia, cast the spell just like I want you to! Time it while I cover us!'

I didn't even have time to argue as I immediately immersed myself in our connection and took over his entire body.

_"COME ON!"_

**'DIE!'**

His rage was my rage. His anger, my own. With these emotions amplified, it muted the pain that should have assaulted my psyche. I knew what I had to do as well as what he planned to do. A gamble, to be sure. But like Eichirou said.

It's better than nothing.

I charged. Reckless as it was fueled by rage, I drove his fist towards the monster who similarly charged forward, accepting our challenge with open jaws.

_"Five times, shield this fragile soul. Protect its path straight and true. Hold Firm, as I implore thee, Pentashell!"_

Without the pain to distract his mind, he assumed control of his mouth, chanting and cast the protection spell in mere seconds. The beast snapped shut on the outstretched arm just in time for its activation.

CRICK CRACK CLANG CRACK CLANG CRACK CLANG

**'Nguh…?! Why… not… die?!'**

The sound of barriers breaking and then holding was heard from the jaws of the beast as its thoughts emanated in our head with a guttural snarl. Perfect, it was her turn!

_"Go to hell, VENTUS HASTAM!"_

The sudden drain I felt as the gust of wind escaped my palm tore all my energy away, weakening me as magic left my… being… and into the new spell I… we… learned. It broke past the remaining barrier, through the Alpha's mouth and out the other end of its skull. The burst of pressure was enough to stop its lifeless jaw from clamping down on our arm. But the sudden loss of magic was enough to throw me back into his head as I relinquished control over to him.

Despite having great amounts of magic, the spell we spontaneously discovered was stupidly costly. More so because neither Eichirou nor I had any idea to control it. A first considering it was the first time since we got here that magic was able to knock us out.

Funny. And here I thought we were invincible. Guess not.

'Stop… being… conceit—' I fell into a half-slumber as Eichirou's exhaustion hit him as well.

"Oy! Eichirou?! Eichirou!"

"Stop… yelling so… much…" Eichirou whispered, probably chuckling as well. "Someone's… trying to… sleep here…"

There he went again, being considerate to others. He stepped forward to heal an unknown girl, probably angering that foolish Church spy as well. And now, here he was, trying to shush Meld for me, a voice in his head that was trying to fall asleep.

_'You're really troublesome…'_

'… heh… funny… my siblings… kept telling… me… the same…'

He fell asleep in Meld's arms just as I did in his head. The exhaustion this time was too much. Doubly more for him as the stress hadn't let him get a proper rest in weeks. Maybe, he deserved it for now. He did save the both of us after all.

But as I dreamt of relief, the new experience of traveling, the feeling of the sun, wind, and water of nature, as well as the near-death survival, the dark voice that was the monster's thoughts crossed my mind.

Who would order Eichirou's death through a monster?

What's more, who knew he was a liar to begin with?

* * *

**_And there. I managed to reach a comfortable endpoint. To be honest, this is one of my most rushed chapters. Rushed in the sense that I made, remade, redid, and finalized it with very little time spent on actually checking it._**

**_IRL is currently troublesome this week and having to run back and forth getting documents from A to B then back and repeat is being such a hassle that I spent more time walking than asleep._**

**_Because of that, I apologize if this isn't the Labyrinth chapter you were all expecting. But I am working a way out to make it happen within the next two chapters. I promise this time. :3_**

**_Short free time in the coming weeks will most likely delay updates for maybe another week. So even if I update next, it could be shorter and not be the Labyrinth. SOOOOOOOO please, have patience._**

**_Oh, I may also update a Status Plate next week. Not sure whose yet as I have to set up the reason for the checking in the first place. But we only have two important plates that you all expect. 50-50 guess. XD_**

**_That is it for today. Until next week. Or the week after, worst case scenario._**


	11. Chapter 11

**_It's long. I know. Not sorry. Prepare your butts. And your eyes if you read in the dark._**

* * *

**Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World**

**Chapter 11: Similarly Troubled, Differing Problems**

* * *

The slap of documents atop his desk disturbed the quiet of one of the, if not _the most important_, office rooms located in the Heiligh Kingdom's palace. As the morning sun shone past the open windows, the light bathed the nearby grandfather clock's face situated behind as the king raised his eyes from the paperwork.

"I've reviewed your suggestions, minister," Eliheid's eyes met the man's still standing before him. "I didn't expect you to be so thorough, or to be working on this so early in the day at that."

"Forgive me for the earlier intrusion, Your Highness," Rhett Decorose, one of his cabinet and an old friend he knew from days of old, bowed with a curled fist to his chest in silent salute as well as apology. "But there is work to be done. It didn't sit well with me to put these off any longer than I needed to. Not when the Apostles' themselves are putting in the effort for our Kingdom's sake."

"Worry not. I'm not so incompetent as to neglect my council's advices. Your suggestions for the benefit of the kingdom, as well as the Apostles, are always welcome." Taking in the seemingly refreshed yet sincere expression on the Minister of Defense's face, Eliheid took a glance at the paperwork the man had given him. Scanning the first page's leading title once again, he tapped it to draw the minister's attention. "However, I do find it odd that you of all people would thoroughly criticize your original plan and then demand to have it changed. You're normally more resolute with your thoughts, never giving me a plan you yourself hadn't deemed perfect from the beginning. For what reason, might I ask, did you find the need to alter your initial idea?"

"It's a personal reevaluation of mine as well as the kingdom's current state." Level was his gaze, not once wavering. "After recent events forced me to rest and recover, I had some time to think of the other possible assets we could utilize in this time of war. Assets that I originally deemed unneeded or fruitless. And perhaps, once it is over, it may be utilized in the future as well, when we have achieved peace."

Though he used the term 'when', there was still the implication of victory being an 'if' hidden in the minister's tone. But neither men dared point it out. They needed all the hope they could keep at a time like this.

Flipping through the pages once more, Eliheid meticulously checked through the list and suggestions as detailed by the Minister of Defense. Specifics and explanations were organized efficiently, testament to the minister's long experience in this line of work. Yet there were some suggestions that Eliheid found the need to question.

"You wish to set up an organization dedicated to infrastructure maintenance and development that will accept both mages and non-combatant classes. Particularly those geared towards crafting, metallurgy, and earth-attribute manipulation?" Eliheid lowered the pages slightly to study Rhett's expression from behind it. "What's more, you request that it be a state-funded organization that is based at the capitol but is branched throughout the major cities and towns across the kingdom?"

"Yes, Your Highness." Unflinching, Rhett stated firmly. "Initially, I planned on leaving it to the nobles themselves to manage their own lands and infrastructure. However, as we are in a time of war, we can't have a single territory falling behind in production or disconnected from communications." The air around the minister was heavy but only in terms of how seriously he was taking the case, not his anger or insistence of having his suggestion approved immediately. "With subsidies and loans to each territory's owner, we can have this new organization respond accordingly to each regions' needs. From road management to postal outposts, not just the local lords, but the military, adventurer guilds and merchant guilds should be alleviated from this task."

True, these were merits. It had usually been the merchant guilds that communication was left to, but they profited from the system more than they actually had to invest in it. Just by having commoners and officials alike collect mail to be delivered alongside peddling, it was revenue that they, as merchants, didn't really need but had ease of access to. All they provided was an armed escort. Something they already had on hand for guarding their asset transport convoys.

What's more, should information be passed along, they had a better chance of catching wind of it before it even reached the capitol.

It was an invaluable advantage in times of war. On the other hand, hiring merchants to trade for information was tricky business. If they saw it more benefiting their survival, they could sell the information to others, worst case, pledge allegiance to demons in the process. Eliheid didn't want to suspect any of his own people being heretics, but banning or outright blackmail would end poorly for the kingdom via its imports and economy.

They had to leave the heavy-handed approach aside. For now, at least.

But even if they were to force the merchants to comply, they couldn't do so without the military. Sadly, they as well had their duties to attend to. Guarding the borders and occasional scouting into enemy territory were a few examples.

The dangers of demon lands were left in the hands of the best, that meaning the elite knights they could spare, as the rise in monster numbers killed off a huge number of their dedicated soldiers when they had been caught off-guard. Blasted demons utilizing them to harass their main outposts kept the tensions high in key points. Excluding the Reisen Gorge, of course. The accursed area still made magic support nil for either side.

Well, except for the monsters, which his generals advised on the possibility of them amassing in the barren ravine under their notice. He'd allowed Decorose to handle that part and the man hadn't failed him yet.

Still, all of this was why adventurers were made to patrol within their borders. Both for the sake of stopping bandits and monsters in the military's stead, the rough and rowdy undisciplined fighters were capable enough to handle either in small numbers. Simply cordon off the target group before they grew in size, be it bandit camp or monster packs, then eliminate them before their numbers exceeded a troubling point. Coordinating attacks in raids would be costly but given that splitting the targets made for easy pickings that could only grow back into another problem, it was only beneficial that they keep the adventuring profession on that role for now.

The catch, however, was that adventurers did sloppy jobs.

The upkeep of the adventurer guild was made cheap as they were an outsourced labor that anyone could hire or look for work in. Any local lord or measly farmhand could post a quest. Any man, woman, or even child could pick up a job that had rewards to their liking. So long as the guild vetted the applicant according to their capabilities, of course.

But that meant results were unreliable at times as they basically amounted to better equipped and more amicable mercenaries that were still not loyal to any lord or crown. Only money, glory and reputation. Should they not like their selected job, they either skimp on it, reporting only the bare minimum upon completion of the quest, or were otherwise careless and incompetent, dying needlessly on a simple patrol against unreported monsters.

The new idea, more organized and integrated when compared to a job distribution outlet like the guild, sounded brilliant. Not just the combat classes, but others could be hired for it as well. But of course, there were cons.

"You mentioned subsidies. It's good to know that you plan on having the nobles, even the lower ones, pay for their own territories over time," Eliheid countered. "But where did you plan on getting the initial funds to support this endeavor should it have been approved? Our treasury has already been allocated to readying the Apostles. And after giving up our tribute offering to the Church of Saints for Ehito-sama's blessing of the summoning ritual, there shouldn't be enough to be able to start this plan of yours."

The idea itself wasn't bad. Eliheid could tell that Rhett Decorose was seriously considering the kingdom's future here. Even without thinking on it too much, Eliheid would very much like to have it approved. But then there was the current circumstance to consider.

The cost was more than double over their current budget.

Forget about starting all across the Kingdom simultaneously, they wouldn't be able to support a third of their lands. Should even a quarter of the current members of the aristocracy that owned land participate immediately through loans, and it was a guarantee they would be cheap about it, the kingdom would incur a serious debt that could have them reeling before the project even started bearing fruit.

"Forgive my mistake on not explaining earlier, Your Highness. But I plan on using my own assets for this one. The subsidies will be provided for by the earnings of my territory for the duration of the next twenty years." Eliheid's brow perked at this. "Considering that it's not a bad plot of land, it should be sufficient enough to pay off up to several dozen earls' worth of land."

"You wish to give up your own property's profit in order to fund this endeavor?!" His response had the king sitting up attentively. It's not that it wasn't just a bad plot of land. Rhett had been a war hero before. If anything, the property he had been was prime real estate. The cost of which rivalled the sum output of several earls' properties. "Do you plan on taking over management of the organization as your new job?"

It wouldn't surprise him if it did. A project this large needed money, but it also needed a leader that was able to manage it. Not forgetting profit, it could also net a ton of influence besides the earnings to whoever was in control. Considering that it was his brainchild, the one person most suited for overseeing the job would obviously be Rhett Decorose.

Eliheid knew the man's honor bound pride with his very core. Rhett would see his duties done and nothing more, relinquishing it all once he was no longer necessary. But Eliheid's people weren't him. He knew others might see this as nothing more than a power grab.

To hold their region's infrastructure on the palm of one's hand is to say you had an iron grip on a noble's economic heart. One wrong move and the grip could turn into a claw, bleeding their coffers dry.

Or stopping the blood flow completely by simply cutting one off.

"No, my liege." However, the minister refused with a stern shake of his head. "After this war is over, I plan to retire and live the rest of my life back in my home territory. As I've said, this will be a state-run organization. Therefore, it will answer to the kingdom through whoever is to be my replacement."

"Are you serious about this, minister?! If you retire while giving up this much of your own property, at best, you could start your own farm but not have the initial earnings to hire a keeper. Best you could do is buy a slave or two."

What went unsaid was that he would, at worst, his only option would fail and he would then have no capital to start a job, forcing him to look for an adequately earning livelihood. With his skills, he could find a good desk job. Not many could read or write in the outer regions as well as a former minister. But his age would limit his options. One would think a former minister could just get any job they wish, but if it came down to it, starting over wasn't the same as continuing the status quo.

His new venture would be far more meager than his current one as a bureaucrat and war hero of the nation. Much less luxurious and all the security and accommodations available in the palace would all be absent as soon as he leaves it.

"Consider it as my last contribution to the country I call home."

Still, Rhett was a noble. He acted as a proper aristocrat would with such an obligation. His duty for the people was very much apparent in this suggestion of his. Going unsaid were the benefits of life improvement, not just for the noble landowners, but commoners as well.

Non-combatant classes would very much get a bonus just from providing labor under their craft's specialty. Farmers were, as a given, made to stay and till the land. But craftsmen would be able to get a job anywhere they were needed, provided they were able to pay for travel expenses.

It wasn't cheap to go from one side of the kingdom to another, hence why many had been forced to come to the center of commerce within the kingdom, the capitol city. But that in itself caused the cost of quality goods to skyrocket across the kingdom while dropping it here.

The imbalance wasn't beneficial for improving the standards of living. Eliheid understood that much. Most impactful were the commoners in outlying regions. Though they may be his citizens, they were people without much contribution to the nation as a whole. Taxes waxed and waned whenever harvests were bad. And the cost of fending off monster attacks were often too high to be exchanged for it.

A village that couldn't pay taxes due to bad harvests and monster attacks was, economically speaking, worth less than a standing army. It was cruel to think about. But between scores of men ready to fight off an enemy versus hungry, unprotected, homeless peasants, there was no contest in this time of war.

But this plan eased their overstretching problem.

As long as there were properly maintained and improved infrastructure, the circulation of goods wouldn't be slowed down at all. In any case, it would actually allow them to send cheap, good quality goods all over. Risk of famine would be lowered. News from far-off places in the kingdom would arrive far sooner. Should demons invade or monsters devastate nearby areas, evacuation was easier to manage as well. Even controlling the flow of information would be able to staunch panic somewhat.

So far as the project's requirements were concerned, money was key. But without his land's earnings, Rhett Decorose was basically abandoning his aristocratic way of life for that of a commoner's.

There are uses and opportunities for a retired minister, but to influence politics, one must be considered to still be in the circle of power. Without his aristocratic influence, he would be left as a low class citizen with high class education and a dwindling lifespan.

In the world outside the capitol's walls, criminals, monsters, and demons could care less about him like the rest of the common citizens.

Eliheid eyed him carefully. Worry as he might for a friend, as a king, he needed to be sure his personal feelings didn't inflict bias upon his decision. This was a good thing for the kingdom. The right thing. But it would in turn sacrifice one of his old friend's livelihood. Indirectly, it would spell a slow end to his life.

Close to the end as the man may be, it still didn't sit well with the more humane side of Eliheid S. B. Heiligh to abandon his longtime ally.

"Would you stop looking at me like that?" Snapping away from the formal demeanor, the minister spoke frankly and personally. A disappointed sigh escaping him as well. Quite a casual gesture for a man once known as 'the Kingdom's Iron Hand', and a reprieve from the normally stiff friend of his who never relaxed during a formal setting. "I'm old. My wife's passed away long ago and my son's already happily married, living with a family and managing land of his own. I have no need for that large estate or a summer villa anymore. A simple house and something to do until I die is all I would ask for now, Eli."

'A busybody as always,' Eliheid didn't put his thoughts to words., merely recalling his old friend's bad habit.

As much of an efficient worker Minister Decorose was, if he didn't have something to do, he would very much grow anxious. It was why Eliheid had appointed him to this position in the first place, despite the man's initial protests of being unqualified.

"Are you certainly sure about this, Rhett?" Eliheid's expression warmed when the minister spoke a nickname rarely used. A knowing look formed as he replied, not as king, but as a friend who already understood, from Rhett's expression alone, how serious he was. "You're giving up pretty much everything once this plan goes through."

"Hmph, as if I could give anything less." The old man smiled back from behind his spectacles. "The Apostles are giving their lives for us. How can I sit idly back and not do the same for my kingdom?"

'The Apostles?' Rhett's mentioning of Ehito's blessed drew his attention. "Fine, I will give my approval for this matter. Though, I won't simply let you take the burden of this endeavor alone."

"That's—" For a second, Rhett's eyebrows were raised in surprise, but after collecting himself, Minister Decorose stood tall with a slightly defiant expression glaring back. "That's unnecessary, Eliheid. This is my responsibility and it shouldn't affect anyone but my own."

"It concerns the kingdom, doesn't it? It matters to me as much as it does you."

"But still, to have you personally pay compensation for this—"

"It's no concern, nor will it be a problem." Eliheid stood up as well, levelling with the minister's eyelevel. "As minister, you are to advise me, but not make my decisions for me. And besides, Eichirou-sama already pointed out to me that living a life of extreme luxury isn't good for my health. Should I want to reign longer, I should live simpler."

"That's… That's absurd!" For a second there, Rhett had looked both confused and surprised. "A king must live as an inspiration to all! To lower yourself—"

"—is to be closer to my people." Eliheid interrupted. "You let me worry about those pesky nobles that would paint this as my growing weak. Even if they try anything to get rid of me earlier, they would be hard-pressed to manipulate my successor. Especially since my daughter and wife will still be there to keep an eye on him." The man seemed to chuckle slightly. "Besides, I have a loyal and capable counsel as well, don't you think so?"

"Ng, hmm." Minister Decorose looked like he wanted to retort but faltered. After inhaling, he relented. "Very well," the mask of formality was quick to return as it was to disappear earlier. Though, the slight hesitation was apparent in Rhett's sigh. "If that is what you deem best, my liege."

"Good of you to understand." Eliheid nodded in response.

He was king, sure. He had his responsibilities as one. But he didn't wish to disregard someone as devoted to the country as his friend or let him take a risky fall for the sake of it. At least, not alone.

Such was uncouth, distasteful. Had this decision been asked of Eliheid before, he may have hesitated and looked to Ehito-sama, or more probably his proxy to the deity, Ishtar, for advice. But he couldn't do that all the time. This was a decision he himself knew he had to make on his own.

'Besides,' Eliheid smiled slightly beneath his beard at a new thought. 'This is a trial from Anima as well, is it not? One concerning my role not as king but as a 'friend'?'

The Minister of Defense, no, his old childhood companion, Earl Rhett of the Decorose family, had once been an earnest child of nobility that wanted nothing but to work for the sake of the kingdom. How could he, as the leader of that kingdom, forsake him so. And how could he, as the friend who was supported along the way, even consider not lending a hand?

"I'll call the Prime Minister to discuss the details." Eliheid made to stand taller but more relaxed while laying a hand upon the reluctant minister's shoulder. "After that, another council should be called up. As it involves the kingdom's welfare and would ease their responsibilities somewhat, the other ministers would no doubt be supportive of this idea, even if we have to reorganize the original plan."

"Haaah," another sigh escaped him, but this time, Rhett's expression was one not of a minister but that of the old friend he was. It was… critical of him. That look in his face was like the tired expression of a friend being pulled along for the ride, and yet despite it, would come along anyway. "I thought you'd grown more passive after becoming king, looking to Ishtar-sama for advice all the time. Didn't think you still had it in you, Eli."

That… wasn't untrue. When the former king, Eliheid's father had passed, Eliheid himself wasn't ready for the role. But through the urging of the recently inaugurated Pope Ishtar at the time, he was placed on the throne immediately with the backing of the Church.

There were no problems at all after it happened. None. When it came to political affairs, local or foreign disputes, economic or military, there was very little to do. All because he had the Church to support him.

No, that was wrong. It was all because he relied on the Church to resolve all those issues for him. Wherever there were problems that most concerned him, Ishtar had been there to provide insight and options to take. Not only was his kingship shamefully empty, he had grown too reliant to even think of what he himself should do.

But that had to change.

He took his first step when he decided to go against Ishtar when the pope nearly executed his people during a panic. He could do so again and take another, one without the Church to babysit him on. Eliheid had to make his own decisions. Rather than rely too much on someone already nearing the end of their lifespan, he should make his own decisions, contribute the fruit of his own efforts, before the end of his own. With his own hands and feet.

"As you've said, there are those giving their all for the kingdom. How could I sit idly back and do any less for someone doing far more?" It would be more work to do but not enough to be considered a burden. Being royalty, Eliheid had been trained for the meetings and paperwork. It would do well to actually put that into proper practice now, without relying on the Church for everything.

To think he used to believe that the only reprieve he had was Ehito-sama's grace. Presently, that was different. After spending more time with his family and, more recently, his amusing talks with a certain Apostle, there was far more to his mortal life that he was missing out on. His devotion to Ehito-sama had never waned. He just felt the need to be more than a simple devotee. As a king to country that housed the base of the Church of Saints, surely he could be both a good king and a faithful worshipper.

DONG

The old grandfather clock tolled, signaling noontime. This sudden appointment was requested by Minister Decorose as soon as the king had taken his breakfast and it was now time for lunch. Half a day. Reviewing the minister's suggestion and reconfirming his decision took that long.

"My friend, how about you join me and my family for a meal today?"

"That certainly would be an honor, Your Highness," a nod, but then the minister brushed away Eliheid's palm on his shoulder. "However, I must decline. I still have things to do in recompense to the Apostle who gave me another chance to make things right."

Speaking of which, "You've been mentioning them for a while now. Did the Apostles have something to do with your change of plans?"

"Something like that, yes. It's a long story however and would most likely bore you—"

"Nonsense!" Tapping the man on the back, Eliheid dragged him the normally formal man into a one-arm hug. One that he hadn't done in a long time. "It's been a while since we've had this much time to talk. I'm sure Luluaria would enjoy having a word as well."

"Even if that were the case, I still have the investigation to handle! Including the possibility of an infiltrator! There's the organization of the guards and servants as well as this proposal!" Rhett, seemingly surprised by the change in Eliheid's tune but not estranged by it, nevertheless tried to wheedle his way out. "This is a big project! I still need to prepare several documents before the meeting—"

"You forget, old friend. I know you like the back of my hand." Eliheid countered. "It may have been several years since we've talked informally like this, but I still know you already prepared more than enough before you even presented this document to me. And the matters about security, I've heard you already made arrangements that aren't expected to be completed until he Apostles return from their excursion."

In truth, he did far more than that and then some. Honestly, though he may be the Minister of Defense, his role was limited to managing intelligence and military matters like border disputes and the like. But being the busybody that he was, Eliheid knew the man wouldn't settle for less work. It was against his nature. It would be safer to assume he would take any job as long as it was vaguely in-line with his current duties.

"But Eli—"

"Take a breather for once in your life, Rhett. Just a small lunch will do and we can get back to politics after. Come. My children will be joining us as well. I hear Lundel's been studying hard and I need your input so I don't blindly judge his efforts. He and Liliana would also enjoy a casual chat with their Uncle Rhett, no? Such a rare and happy occasion should be shared with friends, or am I wrong?"

Eliheid knew he wasn't and Rhett did as well. The man conceded with a sigh as he was led along down the halls. Guards posted alongside would salute but did so with a smile at their king's attitude. A rare scene, considering he would usually be having his meals separately. Due to his devotion, he followed a regular pattern of prayer and listening to Ishtar's counsels. Not only did it interfere with the normal meal schedule he would normally have had with his family, he would sometimes leave carrying an oppressive air about him. But now that Ishtar-sama had been recently spending more time resting and meditate in the Church's Holy Temple, Eliheid was free to do as he pleased. And smile like a fool he did.

With the advice of the Apostle of Anima, he had chosen to spend that time being more of a father to Lundel and Liliana as well as a husband to Luluaria. It had been a long, long time since he had been able to be both ever since taking up the crown.

Thinking about it, it was also due to the discussion of his roles and trials set upon him by Anima that he was starting to rekindle this friendship with his old friend.

Wouldn't that translate as finding success in this role's trial as well?

Eliheid would need to ask Eichirou-sama about this when he returned from his first trip to the dungeon. He would need to ask if this was one of the things Anima, the god of familial ties and gratitude, would bless him and his own for.

Should their trip prove unsuccessful, he would have to apologize and use this newfound resolve of his to repay the Apostle again, so long as it was within his power.

Unable to shake off the jolly monarch of Heiligh, Rhett Decorose could only concede and join the royal family as they dined together. For shock value, it was the first time in a while since he'd seen the ruling family of the kingdom act like they weren't nobles, but rather resembled a more caring and warmer household.

Luluaria, a woman he had known long before her marriage to Eliheid, now smiled with warmth as a mother should. The children, Liliana and Lundel, acted as they were. Children. But unlike before, Lundel now carried himself as less of a spoiled brat and more of a little gentleman while Liliana acted less like a workaholic doll and more of the teenage girl she was. It was honestly surprising to Rhett that he'd initially hesitate in his responses to them.

It wasn't just the minister. All the servants present watched the sight with awe and curiosity. They, of all citizens in the kingdom, were most aware of the monarchy's movements, faces, and personalities.

Though not collectively, rumors started floating about. Of the prince earnestly starting to focus on his studying. Of how the princess had started to grow more vibrant and dazzling in her duties by the day. Of even how the queen herself had started to take more interest on the goings on of the people's welfare. And finally, of the king of Heiligh who was now taking the lead when it came to the current political affairs.

Needless to say, the royals' actions and sudden change in mannerisms were all causing waves. Those amongst both the nobility and the commoner class stirred. Especially those that were aware of the growing activity within the capitol. Many were curious of the sudden change. A few were concerned. But regardless of views, they all knew something was up.

The cold air of the city at the base of god's mountain had shifted. And in its place, a warm feeling of motivation and inspiration welled up from its inhabitants, starting with the royal family.

To see their rulers with such smiles and excited jubilation, to feel moved and encouraged by the sight alone, it sparked some hope in not just the servants but the people as well.

Though they may be at war, it was a pleasant thing to see that the arrival of the Apostles could do so much good without them even fighting a single demon yet.

* * *

"Aaahhh, goddammit! To think it wasn't even a demon that almost did me in—NGH!"

Beyond the walls, a boy whined in pain.

"Oh, quit complaining, you big baby! The Thundursa only brushed you. You're not even bleeding so just sit still for a sec."

Sat next to the injured boy, a girl struggled to aide him. But at the same time, she kept trying to avoid getting too close.

"Aya-chan, if you keep your distance, you're only making it harder for yourself. Get up a bit closer."

"W-w-why should I?!"

"Eeeh? How else would you be able to wrap the bandage around his arm if you can't properly reach him?"

Sitting next to the flustered medic, another girl assisted by organizing the first aide. All the while, she made to tease the healer while giving her friend a warm smile. From a distance, Kousuke could tell Yoshino Mao was having a field day joking around with Tsuji Ayako.

"Sh-shut up, Mao-chan. Help me over here already!"

"Eeeeeeeeh~~~?" the other girl sarcastically drawled. "But I think you got the hang of it already. All you need to do is get a liiiiiittle bit closer."

"I'm not doing that!"

In the middle of the vast hilly plains of the Heiligh Kingdom, under the warm light of approaching dusk, their group of travelers slowly trudged along the winding road. From the rumbling carriage half-filled with cargo, their group of five sat around lounging about with complete exhaustion.

The two girls were sat near the middle next to a crate filled with medical supplies the knight order had kindly left for them, one each per party. As they were nearing their destination, they were asked to limit healing and treatment to just the unused medicines and not magic. Likely a precaution to other surprise encounters, Meld didn't want them to get caught unawares and low on mana.

This left the bruised patient, a dirt-covered messy-haired Nomura Kentarou to struggle against his healer with a back leaned against the medicinal supplies crate. Sat in the rear of the carriage, their burly tank, Jugo busied himself, organizing their recently acquired loot. On lookout duty, Kousuke's eyes roved around the field before sitting back near the carriage driver who hardly noticed his presence.

Having just finished another encounter, this time a van-sized bear-like monster accompanied by cubs the size of mini-cars, they all sighed with fatigue. Well, the exception being the two with their usual arguing.

"Ah! Too tight! Too tight!" Kentarou exclaimed with a yelp.

"Stop complaining already! I'm doing the best I can!"

And that she was. With a slap to his shoulder to keep him from moving too much, Ayako tried so desperately to wrap the bruise and failed to do just that. Her furrowed brow creasing that large forehead of hers exposed apparent frustration, the redness of her cheeks, her embarrassment.

It seemed that, despite being an honor student and great attentiveness to lessons, Ayako had poor composure when it came to practice. Kousuke noted the girl's quirk as she fumbled and was then forced to having to repeat the process yet again.

"Come on, Aya-chan. If you dawdle, Nomura-kun's pain won't go away, y'know." Sadly, her friend's constant pestering, disguised as insistence to get the job done, only reinforced her fumbling. "If you keep messing up, he won't get any better at this rate."

"I-It's not my fault that he got himself hurt in the first place!"

"Well, sorry for not leaving you behind—OW!" Suddenly butting into the girls' exchange, Kentarou earned himself an accidental tug on the knotted bandages. "What was that for?!"

"Ah, sorry—wait, I told you to stop moving, didn't I?!"

"OW! Don't just tighten it! That hurts!"

"Shut up! Didn't you ever pay attention in health class? Compressing a bruise should help."

"NOT WHEN YOUR WRAPPING THE WRONG SPOT, RETARD!"

"S-S-STOP SHOUTING, STUPID!"

'Ah, they're really going at it…' It seems that even when Kentarou wasn't at fault, he would still get yelled at by their flustered Priest. Kousuke merely sighed at his friend's bad luck. But then again, noting that Kentarou was blushing red the entire time and the fact he wasn't exactly looking to anyone else for proper medical assistance, he guessed that maybe the close proximity was actually something the guy wanted. He just didn't want to admit it. Painful treatment notwithstanding. 'Ah, I hope he doesn't turn into an M from this.' The thought just flew by as a sigh escaped.

Bored as he was with the empty countryside, his entertainment was also close friends so he didn't wish for their relationship to stray into that path. Kousuke hoped for the best.

"You Apostles get along well, don't you?" suddenly speaking, the carriage driver, a simple middle-aged civilian called Anders by his fellows, noted next to Kousuke. "Reminds me of the time Martha and I used to be before we got married…"

""WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MARRIED COUPLE?!""

"Hahahah!" The pair's instinctive reaction caused the older gentleman to let out a hearty laugh. "That's the spirit! I'm sure you two will get along well in the future!"

Kousuke smiled and wished the same. But with how the pair went back to glaring at each other, Ayako, red-faced and breaking eye-contact first, then pulling on Kentarou's bandages too tightly yet again, the silent observer within told him that any future these two had that was as 'happy' as Anders' marriage was still a far-flung one.

"Still, to think Ayako-san was this much of a nervous wreck…" Sitting on the opposite side of their carriage, Jugo chimed in as he rolled up another set of monster material carved from their recent excursion. An unnaturally spiked pelt as if its previous owner had been electrocuted. The Thundursa was actually not an elemental beast, its name derived from the booming roar it boasted, but the spiny bristles of its fur was cartoonishly sharp and distinctly pointed that they all chalked it up to another world's logic and didn't dispute it. Using his heavily armored gloves so as to not hurt himself, the party's vanguard placed the item into a nearby container with as much care as a porcelain vase. "I really thought this would be right up your alley, considering how many hours you spent reviewing healing magic and medical practices back at the palace. Didn't expect this side of you."

Jugo couldn't hide that knowing grin he shot Kentarou from Kousuke. Luckily, Ayako was too distracted by her shame to notice the Geomancer glare back.

"She's actually more accustomed to the first aide from back home, Nagayama-kun." Answering for the Priest, Yoshino pointed out while folding wasted bandages from Ayako's earlier attempts. "The herbs and magic was actually so confusing that Aya-chan had to take extra time to understand how they work compared to modern medicine."

"Is it really that different?" Putting away a knotted sack of fangs and claws, Jugo asked. "I thought grounding herbs and mixing it into paste or salves were simple enough to understand?"

Shrugging to herself with a wry smile, Mao replied. "It didn't help at all when Aya-chan started asking her instructors for specifics. The amount, method of creation, details like where the items came from or how they were stored. She forgot they don't even have the concept of bacteria and chemical compounds that they had to ask Yamamoto-kun for help and clarification before she understood the basics of how they do things." A slight shrug of her shoulders and a sigh alter, she added. "Still, it was too risky for her to start using Tortus' medicines. That's why she decided to just go with the first-aid lessons from back home."

'Well, that made sense,' Kousuke nodded to himself.

Considering that their technology level was that of the middle ages mixed with the fantasy aspect found in video games or anime like his sister enjoyed, it was to be expected that their practices wasn't the same as what their class was used to. Or believed to be acceptable. Ayako's not understanding might've been affected by the difference in culture just as much as the different technology had. Choosing a method she knew and trusted more was thoughtful in the sense that she didn't want to experiment on Kentarou.

'It's a lucky thing they aren't too regressed though. If they were actually too primitive, they might still solve a simple infection with dismemberment.'

Magic could very well treat that without issue. Save for the dire cases which could be resolved with miracles performed through rituals by the Church of Saints, this world's version of chemistry, alchemy, and potions, were relegated as second best solutions to poisons and minor cuts and bruises. He had heard it was something along the lines of accelerated healing and what not, but Kousuke could hardly remember the specifics as, compared to antibiotics or other medicines from Earth, alchemy was very much an unknown or unproven topic in Tortus with its uses limited to mana potion development.

This left them with simple herbs and bitter grounded medicines made from strange plants, only a few of which actually worked. Having heard of the dubious bloodletting and other solutions that had people stuffing dirt and animal fat into the injuries from the history books, Kousuke tried to purge his mind of such horrors of medieval past and relished in the more comfortable reality the people of Tortus had to endure.

'It's not perfect as modern medicine, but still…' He shuddered to think what they would do without magic in this world should someone catch a cold or drop into a coma. 'Speaking of, it's already been nearly a week since our first encounter…'

FWEEEEEEEEEE

Getting up from his seat next to the carriage driver's spot, Kousuke stuck his fingers between his lips and whistled, calling attention to himself and making others aware of his presence. The four in the back calmly looked to him, probably getting used to his 'suddenly appearing out of nowhere'. Kousuke still grit his teeth with the knowledge that very few could actually perceive him. At the very least, these four were noticing, but that was hardly enough to ease his complex. The carriage driver, on the other hand, nearly jumped from his seat at the sudden shrill call. 'Woops, my bad.'

His mount, still unaware of his existence like most of the others, surprisingly reacted like any other steed would when called. Good to know that it was at least disciplined enough to respond to that. Picking up the pace, the well-trained colt trotted along, breaking free from Alan-san's grip on its reigns. The knight had been accompanied by a few others to escort the goods carriage and spare horses but the night-colored horse of his managed to catchup and maintain speed next to their carriage.

Kousuke waved to the back, hoping the knight would notice and feel relieved that the escaped steed was only responding to its owner's call. The fact it was _his _horse was at least a reprieve. Alan-san and his group still had another, tightly bound steed in their care. With good reason to have five different people hold on to a leash each for a single horse, Blackjack, Eichirou's steed, wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

With his steed at the ready, it was now just a simple matter of leaping and landing atop the saddle of his own horse. What should've been a dangerous task was made simple, easy, and almost video game-like with how he landed in style due to his high Agility stat.

'Convenient, but uncomfortable. Still can't complain about it though.' He kept such musings to himself as he settled in his seat and picked up the reigns. The otherworldly power easing his actions as if he had known it was possible and risk-free all along. "I'll go and check on our 'fearless leader'. See if his condition's changed. And make sure Hajime's paying attention." Kousuke responded to Jugo's questioning gaze while the other three merely continued to writhe with the bandaging. "It's my turn to watch him anyways and I'm already bored watching Ken-chan and Ayako's melodrama."

"Got it. Oh, wait! Here," Amidst the aforementioned two's bickering, Jugo tossed a sack over their heads to Kousuke. The Assassin's dexterity allowed him to catch it with ease and recognized it as one of their sacks of magic crystals, the prizes from their monster hunts. "Hajime wanted to check these out a while ago. I only just finished cleaning them from the carcasses. Hand it to him for me, will ya?"

"Roger that. Sorry for the noise, Anders-san. I'll be off for a bit."

"O-oh, do take care, Apostle-sama! Give my regards to your fellows and the Saint-sama if he's awake! Ahahah… ah… Had he always been sitting there…?"

"Ken-chan. Ayako. Get a room already, will you?"

A nod to his friends, an apology to the dumbstruck yet smiling Anders, and a crack of the reigns. Kousuke was off, leaving Jugo and Yoshino to watch warmly at their two remaining members still at each other's throats for the offhand pairing comment.

He also promptly ignored what the old man whispered to himself, letting his nonexistence poke the back of his mind to no avail.

The journey to the front carriage wasn't exactly long. A few seconds at best with the pace they were all going and with how fast his colt was. The horse still couldn't perceive him, minus his call, but it was still a speedy one despite its unassuming appearance of plain black. That being said, most of those he passed by didn't even stop to look at him. Too busy were a few of the classmates as they conversed with the civilians and escort knights nearby, sharing stories and small talk from what he could overhear.

It was strange. Initially, the civilians they were travelling with were all too shy to talk to their classmates. Too respectful and worshipping, only doing so through Meld or the Church's priest Deene. Now though, the class wasn't able to sit still. Gone was their boredom, their quiet, replaced by entertained exchanges between the Tortusians and the Earthlings all about differences in culture and what the places where they were from like.

He could swear a few of the guys tried to look cool in front of some of the younger women. Kousuke doubted their attempts to flirt would've failed back in Japan. That or maybe have the girls weirded out. But then again, in Tortus, they were practically celebrities, so it made sense for the religious people to just go along with it.

After defending their group from monsters for the past few days, the friendly residents of this world began showing their gratitude. A few turned to prayer and worship, but the more welcoming ones started conversations under the premise of thanking them. A handful began pleading to do them favors much to the dismay of some of the shyer Japanese teenagers. Kousuke knew that some of the men and knights even offered Jugo a drink before, mistaking his age just by the maturity of his expression.

He snorted. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you looked at it, Ai-chan-sensei shut that down faster than one could blink. To see such grown men berated by a tiny figure, Kousuke and the rest all enjoyed a laugh before they too were targeted and sternly warned. They were all still minors and needed to be cautious when it came to alcohol. It was enough to remind everyone that, despite her diminutive stature, Hatayama Aiko was still the adult who took her job as their teacher seriously. Perhaps, way too much.

Kousuke's smile vanished almost immediately when he remembered the woman's reaction to the results of their first encounter. The whites of her eyes, the stillness of her breath, the shaking shoulders… It hardly looked like the face of the kind woman they were used to. It was the first time Kousuke thought she would break…

Shaking his head, he quickly urged his horse on.

"Apostle-sama, how many times must I repeat myself?! You shouldn't concern yourselves with that… that… thing! It's unbecoming of your grace—"

"And I will repeat myself as many times as needed, Ambrogio-san. This _child_ will not be left alone in her condition."

Arriving just in time to a scene that was almost a carbon copy of the past five days, another sigh escaped Kousuke before his ride pulled up to the end of the carriage that ferried only a group of nine people.

Well, eight Holy Apostles and one disgusting demi-human, if Deene Ambrogio were to be asked. The priest towered over Aiko from atop horseback, but the teacher stood, or sat, in the carriage, firmly glaring back against the zealot's stormy expression. Neither

"Why must you be so stubborn?" the priest said quietly. His frustration was apparent regardless of the lowered volume. "It is against Ehito-sama's creed to allow for such… scum… to intermingle with holy figures such as yourselves."

"My reasoning is simple." Aiko countered while sipping water from a canteen. The action was done serenely while in a seiza, but her tone was starting to sound irate despite her polite demeanor. "She's an injured person my student decided to take care of. As he is incapacitated right now, I decided to take his task upon myself until such a time that he is able to resume his responsibilities. As his teacher, it is only right I take over for him when he cannot. She will not leave my side until Yamamoto-kun recovers or I deem her healthy enough to do so."

"But to treat an ill filth personally, you must consider your own health, Hatayama-sama!"

"Her illness isn't contagious as far as the Order's healers have already deduced. She's merely recovering from whatever poison my student had saved her from and I'm only observing for any changes."

While Kousuke found her sense of responsibility endearing, he had to give the teacher some credit for not wilting under Deene's enraged gaze. Oh, he hid it as best as he could, but maybe it was due to his pious nature that his eyes couldn't conceal the pure fury within.

Judging by his behavior that Kousuke had observed ever since meeting the man, he was very much a firm endorser of the beliefs of the Church of Saints. If anything, he was like one of those radicals or extremists you only heard about on the news. Tortus being what it was, Kousuke at least understood that the man's hardline religious outlook was a common trait shared by most of their top brass. He'd met Ishtar. He knew what they could be at their worst.

That being the case, Kousuke also understood why he couldn't accept the so-called blasphemous sight of an Apostle lending a hand to a demi-human. It was one of their core tenets, the whole 'human supremacy' deal that his friends had read about in the library.

"How long has this been going for today?" Startling one of Aiko's party members with his question, Kousuke's hand hovered behind Sonobe Yuka's back in case she fell off the carriage in surprise.

"Uwah! Oh, it's just Endou…Eheh. Sorry, didn't notice you there." Breathing a sigh of relief that he pointedly ignored, she replied with a wry smile. "Deene-san's been at it for almost two hours now."

"A new record. A surprise he didn't fold after the first and a half like before."

"True, he didn't even last thirty minutes on day one. But maybe that's just because Ai-chan was super worried for our sleepyhead over here at the time."

Gesturing over to the aforementioned comatose patient, Eichirou slept like a log at the floor of their carriage. As they had no cargo to speak of, most being relegated to the rear, the guy peacefully slept atop a few layers of piled up monster fur. Just next to him, the slave girl Ai-chan's party found in the forest slept just as quietly atop her own pile but not as peacefully if her attendants Miyazaki and Sugawara had anything to say about it. Their expressions looked to the arguing adults with boredom, or perhaps annoyance at the priest's contention. But Kousuke couldn't miss the concerned glances they sent to the child every now and then. As they had been the past week.

"They haven't awoken yet, have they?"

Shaking her head, Sonobe sent a quick glance at the two before going back to the adults to sigh. "If one of them had, they wouldn't be fighting still. Lucky for the girl to still be asleep though. Wouldn't want to think what will happen if she gets up before Yamamoto-kun."

Something told Kousuke that the priest might even use it as an excuse to be rid of her for. Being up early didn't mean she was healthy, though, but he wouldn't let it past the priest to play with words.

"So Deene wants her off, but Ai-chan's taken still her health into consideration." Kousuke commented, sparing a glance at the unconscious girl before returning his gaze to observe their continued stalemate of a discussion. "He's really starting to lose it…"

Indeed, the man was fuming. Had this been a cartoon, it would've been around the time steam escaped his ears or a vein mark to start pumping around his temple. But alas, the blonde headed young man remained composed. Or as composed enough that he portrayed concern and not religious turmoil.

"Here I thought no one could get mad at Ai-chan…"

"Eheheh, Nana thinks it's because he grew immune to Ai-chan-sensei's adorableness."

"Oho? That's a first." Kousuke wasn't one for much small talk. But even he could appreciate the recurring joke of their ever-lovable teacher. "To think that only in another world could Ai-chan not be beloved by all."

"I think it's just Deene-san," lowering her voice, Sonobe leaned a bit closer to whisper. "Don't tell her, but I think she already has a couple of fans among the escort teams." This caught Kousuke's attention as the girl nodded her head towards there dear teacher. "She's been trying to be helpful around camp when we force her take breaks from watching over these two. She can't do much because she's too small, even the kids beat her in carrying crates and cooking, but the adults love her despite that. Add the fact that most of the servants in the palace are fond of her, I think she's going to have a huge following in the capitol by the time we get back."

Smiling at the thought, Kousuke imagined what it would be like. A fanclub was pretty much a done deal. Ai-chan already had one back on Earth so having one here wasn't too far of a stretch. But if their religious fervor was anything to go by, and that she was an Apostle to boot, he wouldn't be surprised if they had a cult for the Angel of Cuteness, Hatayama Aiko, already.

It was then that Kousuke froze and noted the intense aura that permeated the air.

Despite facing the insistent clergyman, Kousuke thought the guy dense or having balls of steel for not seemingly noticing Aiko send a glance in their direction. It was only a brief moment. But had it been anyone else on the receiving end, they wouldn't have seen it.

Judging by how Yuka's shoulders stiffened and her suddenly, and nervously, laughing while turning away, Kousuke surmised the girl didn't just notice she was overheard but felt the warning glare from the teacher's already-dwindling patience as well as he.

'Maybe I should go and lend a hand to bail her out first.'

Before he could crack the reigns on his colt though, someone else beat him to it.

"Deene-san, could you please maybe let this go for today—Oh woah!"

Interrupting the man before he could insert another word, the boy had his hands clasped before him in apology. Perhaps he planned on apologizing profusely to get the priest to leave. That or use the 'humble servant of Anima' card that Eichirou mostly used to get the Church off his back. But as he was sat next to the driver's seat, his sudden turn and bowing nearly had him fall off the side of the carriage.

"Eh—Nagumo-sama!" "Nagumo-kun!"

Kousuke was already moving.

A quick leap from his saddle, he landed and caught the doofus who nearly made a fool of himself by the scruff of his coat.

"Uwah—Are? Eh?"

"You're supposed to be on party-leader watching duty." Kousuke said in a low tone but smiled. "What are you doing, sleepyhead?"

"Ah, Ahahah," Hajime could only smile back in response. "Yeah, you caught me. I guess I'm just a little tired." Being pulled back to a proper seating position, Hajime returned his gaze to Deene. As he was now sitting properly on the carriage, his gaze was leveled to the man on horseback. "As you can see, Deene-san, we aren't exactly in the mood for anymore bickering. I know your beliefs don't exactly allow it, but could you please just let this go for now?"

"B-but—"

"We may be Apostles," Kousuke interrupted. "But as Hajime said, we do need to rest as well. We can't exactly do that in peace when you're arguing, now can we?"

A simple gesture to the others had the priest's gaze meeting with the bored and tired expressions of Aiko's party members. Due to their new job of caring for the patients besides helping around whenever they settled camp, the six teens, three of each gender, weren't wearing healthy smiles at all. Though they did as much at the request of Ai-chan without complaint, they weren't exactly happy with how Deene basically ignored their peace to argue with the teacher.

"Hm, ahem, very well. I shall allow you some reprieve then." Saving face, the man bowed apologetically. "My apologies for disturbing your rest. I shall take my leave."

Giving his steed a kick to the side, his billowing priest robes trailed behind as he made to catch up to the aptly named 'Hero's carriage', just behind Meld's spot in the front next to Kouki's own horse.

As soon as he was gone, however, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Man, does he ever stop talking at all?" Tamai-kun, sat near the front, finally relaxed while voicing his thoughts. "I get that it's for his religion, but doesn't he ever get tired?"

Taking this time to shove the sack of magic gems into Hajime's hands, he received some thanks before his ears automatically tuned in to the conversation.

"Not to mention how he keeps forcing the issue." Nimura-kun likewise shook his head. "Seriously, and here I thought he came to talk about something different today."

Shimizu, however, merely sat there in silence, glancing to the priest's back before relaxing to try and get some sleep.

"Can't exactly be mad at him for just doing what he thinks is right though," everyone, even Kousuke turned to watch Aikawa Noboru as he shrugged back. "What? I get where he's coming from. My mom's a religious type like him so I'm used to her being strict."

"You mean the time when she found your porn stash—"

"SSHHHHHHHut up!" The guy blushed as he attempted to cover Tamai's mouth. But it was too late as the three girls and one woman in the carriage all looked at him with disgust and disappointment respectively. "W-what?! Every guy does it!"

"Not me, man." Tamai didn't even share his gaze.

"That's just you, Noboru." Nimura as well looked the other way.

"I'm taking a nap." Shimizu yawned.

"Wha—you traitors!" Looking for an ally, he attempted to find one by snagging Hajime's coat sleeve as the guy busied himself with some papers and his portable spell printer. Kosuke wouldn't entertain the idea of calling it by its abbreviation. "Hey, Nagumo! You do it too, right?! Right?!"

"Eh? I don't keep a stash of lewd magazines. Even I have some sense of modesty."

Kousuke noted that Hajime's gaze was also averted slightly. He'd probably not been lying about the magazines, but that didn't mean he didn't have something _other_ than magazines. Kousuke would never admit to having tapped the 'clear history' button more than once, but none of that would matter to the guilty pervert. Not finding any ally in the otaku or his friends, Aikawa Noboru merely crumbled under the gazes of his female party members.

"Aikawa-kun, I do not approve of such… lecherous behavior. Refrain from doing so ever again. When we get back, I'll have to discuss this with your family as well."

"N-no… no way…" He crumbled further into a ball when their beloved Aiko's words struck his core.

"But I too understand Ambrogio-san's intentions." Skipping over his suffering on the floor, Ai-chan continued with their earlier topic. "Please don't get mad at him for it. I know it's hard to understand as you are all just students. It's best if you just let him be and let me take care of it when he comes to do so again."

Not like they could argue with what was essentially a member of the group hosting their presence. Should they offend him, it might cause trouble for the Pope. But Kousuke didn't see it that way. Being friends with a skeptic and an otaku, he was given the opportunity to think of other possibilities.

They could be offended and take out their frustrations on the priest himself for overdoing it. To cause trouble for an Apostle might have overweighed the breach in tenets of taking in a demi-human. Take it the other way, they, specifically Aiko-sensei, her party, and their other friends, could be called heretical or false Apostles for taking an action not according to Ehito's creed.

Hajime had already spoke about the former during one of their rests in the past few days. As the guy predicted, Deene didn't at all give up and continued to approach the teacher about the same thing: getting the demi-human patient as far away from them as possible.

It wasn't a stretch to say that they, or the fanatics at least, might end up neglecting and leave her to succumb to illness or something. Even if Meld had anything to say about it, it's not like he could punish them all for losing a source of information. An anomalous tragedy her circumstances may have been, but that could just be a minor incident and not something to lose sleep over.

Eichirou, however, had spoken about his position before. Being a representative to a 'superior god from another world', it wasn't like the Church could do anything against him publicly. More so that he had an established reputation with his 'miracles' in the palace. That being said, during their minor talks in the library, he expressed concern over how a naysayer among the 'Apostles of Ehito' would be treated.

Unlike he who had a dubious yet recognized protection from another deity, they didn't have the same diplomatic immunity, being hosted by the Church itself. Should one of them speak against the Church, or perish the thought, rebel against them, they would have no other ally. Not amongst the populace that followed the major religion. Sure, they could seek out asylum from maybe the demon or demi-human countries outside of human territory, but if the journey didn't kill them, as they knew nothing or much of this world, their unlikely hosts might.

That is, if they didn't torture or manipulate them first.

Should the Church of Saints be as corrupt or strict as the religions during the Middle Ages on Earth, Kousuke believed what his friends surmised could occur. Not all of them of course, but they had to have one target as a scapegoat. And if not the Anima-protected Eichirou, the defiant Aiko would certainly be an option for her stance of non-violence and anti-war.

"Sensei, you know you could just tell him that it's not his business what Anima asks of Eichirou, don't you?" The question caught them all off-guard as they turned to see Hajime pocketing his papers carved with magic spells. "Eichirou-kun already stated as much when he healed her, so I don't think it won't be a big deal if you just tell him that."

Kousuke noted Ai-chan's surprise. It seems that it didn't occur to her at all to claim that the otherworldly god's orders weren't her own and that whatever business her student had with the girl shouldn't be any of the priest's as well. Thinking back on it, he did back off when Eichirou made to help her at the time, going so far as to be silenced when they were all shouting over one another. Kousuke thought to himself, 'Maybe such a statement did have its merit.'

"Do you seriously believe in Anima?"

However, not everyone would readily accept the solution as is.

"Taeko?" Sonobe eyed her friend as the girl sat still next to the two sleeping patients. Her expression monotone while she met everyone's gaze.

"I don't mean to call him a liar," sparing Eichirou a glance, Sugawara Taeko continued. "It's just that I've never even heard of his religion, let alone his god."

"It could be foreign religion from other countries," Kousuke suggested as he took a seat. Whistling for his colt to follow alongside, he willingly called attention to himself for the umpteenth time today. "For all we know, it originated abroad and isn't really all that widespread back home. In Japan or otherwise. Hell, it could even be a new one."

Though he wanted to cover for his friend, he had little evidence that he was telling the truth. But, as he was already made aware of Eichirou's lie, it was easier to say it as a guess. He couldn't exactly just make stuff up on the spot. But if he could bring the discussion to an inconclusive stalemate, neither Sugawara nor anyone else could dispute it without evidence proving otherwise.

You can't prove an argument without proof of it being right. Simultaneously, an unproven argument cannot be wrong until there is evidence to back up how it's wrong.

"But wouldn't that be kind of strange?" she calmly argued back. "If it was a new religion, why would Yamamoto-kun tell the king stories that are centered on Christianity? I've heard a few of those stories before when I was in elementary, but I don't remember ever hearing of the name 'Anima' before."

'Damn.' Kousuke didn't show a sign, but if Eichirou were awake, he might've noticed the guy click his tongue. It was true that the guy mixed stories here and there, but maybe it was because he assumed none of the classmates ever had a touch of religion that he just blathered whatever story he could use to woo the king. A bit of an oversight, but the guy was only human despite his title amongst the masses. 'How do I salvage this?'

"Then an offshoot of Christianity?" Hajime chimed in, saving Kousuke's stance.

"What do you mean, Nagumo-kun?"

"We talked in the library about it once. I asked him if he meant god as in that Christian one, but his answer was 'yes but no'." Hajime explained but acted a bit stiffly. As far as Kousuke could tell, he too didn't know how to bullshit his way out of this mess. Seeing as the others weren't convinced, the Synergist put away his stuff and turned to face them before continuing. "Eichirou-kun told me that Anima isn't the same concept as that Christian god from the west. Or like any deity we believe in Japan. He said that the idea of perceiving Anima is less of 'who' and more of a 'what'."

"You mean 'less person, more spirit'?" Taeko surmised.

"Not exactly… The terms Eichirou-kun used was different. Instead of 'divine spirit' or 'holy ghost', he called it 'the collective unconscious'."

"You're saying," Ai-chan asked in place of the others. "Anima isn't an individual existence, but rather a being born from the collective will of a group?"

"Y-yeah… something like that…"

Hajime tried hard not to avert his gaze. As he was pulling a high concept discussion out of his ass to cover for their incapacitated party leader, Kousuke could tell he was nearing his limit. It seemed that he didn't have the same capacity of bullshit that their mutual best friend had.

"Eichirou-kun said it's the same ideal but a different cognition of a god. I guess the best way I can explain it is to think of the color blue. Everyone else has a different object or idea that comes to mind. It could be blue like the sea, sky, a blue car, maybe flowers, paint or even a metaphor like 'blue-blooded'. It's all blue in one aspect or another but it isn't the same for everyone. Yet it is still blue, all of it and yet not…? I guess?"

"Why do you sound so uncertain?"

"Mm…. Haaah…." At Nana's head tilt, Hajime balked before sighing. "Look, I listened to his explanation. But that doesn't mean I get it completely. I haven't even read anything that used something as convoluted as this. I'm not even that into philosophy or religion myself."

Nana replied something under her breath that Kousuke could swear was along the lines of 'aren't you an otaku for anime settings like this?' but promptly ignored it. He made the mistake of assuming Hajime understood everything about their situation only to find that he was, at best, just as clueless as the rest of them were. Template or not, Hajime didn't dare compare this reality of theirs to a fictional manga or anime. He wasn't that stupid.

"I haven't heard of anything like that back home. Could it be a European thing?" Nimura turned to ask the air.

"I believe so. It's a concept defined by a man named Carl Jung, I believe." Kousuke and Hajime both shared a nervous glance as their teacher crossed her arms to delve into deep thought. "I remember reading it from a book that referenced psychoanalysis during my college years, but I don't quite remember the specifics. I think I heard it during a religious topic at my class so maybe it is a religion about a different perspective on Christian faith that isn't very well-known."

Sweating buckets as Ai-chan pondered, neither made to interject. Whatever that class was, both of the boys prayed she didn't remember. Should she do so, whatever they were doing to cover for their liar of a leader would likely be rendered moot.

"Whatever it is, it still doesn't make sense," unconvinced by any of their suggestions, Taeko resumed. "If Anima truly was a god that cared for her children, in this case, us, why wouldn't she show her powers and just return us home? In fact, why just let us stay at all?"

"Maybe it's some kind of test or something," Tamai suggested while making a curious expression. Shimizu sat quietly next to him, not participating but nonetheless listening in. "Like how some gods demand their followers to do something in return for a reward or favor."

"But we don't follow Anima. Do you?"

'DRAT!' 'DAMMIT!'

Both Hajime and Kousuke gritted their teeth at Taeko's adamant stance. Tamai folded as well, his suggestion knocked out completely.

"Maybe it's like with Ehito!" Out of the left field, Miyazaki Nana gave her two cents. "Remember? When sensei asked to return us, Ishtar-san said that Ehito was the only one who could do it but was currently unable because of lacking power or something?"

"That only tells us that the god of Tortus isn't much of a god to begin with." In the distance, Kousuke could see Deene have a coughing fit. "If he really was one, then he would be able to do whatever, can't he? I'll admit, when Yamamoto-kun pointed out his inconsistencies, I too thought it was weird for a pope to be making excuses for a god."

"But Yamamoto-kun didn't say anything specific on the why," Sonobe Yuka stated. "He simply said that he would find a way home for us through his god's guidance. The only reason why we aren't doing anything to help him is because we… all volunteered to help Kouki-kun fight the demons…"

They all went silent at that. It wasn't exactly unpleasant, but looking back on it now, their collective decision to just hang on to what inspiration or hope that was available at the moment seemed like a rash, if not stupid, decision. Now that they had time to think of the consequences, they realized they were going to be thrown into conflict all because they decided it was the right thing at the time.

"They can control monsters… can't they?"

No one responded to Nana's query. Even Taeko stayed silent. Ai-chan simply sighed. All their thoughts went back to the first day of the trip. When they encountered their first batch of monsters.

Kousuke took this moment of silence to observe the carriage's occupants.

Reed-san, the carriage driver for Ai-chan's party, could be disregarded. As the knight was one of Meld's trusted men, Kousuke knew he would respect their privacy and wouldn't be sharing their grievances to the Commander unless absolutely necessary. Keeping silent as he was during Deene's badgering, Kousuke's gaze flitted over his fellow classmates.

The girls all had somber expressions as well as the boys. Every now and then, Aikawa would look to the open field they were trudging past. Tamai and Nimura as well kept their gazes on the floor of the carriage. Miyazaki and Sugawara were no better, giving the afternoon sky their utmost attention.

These five of Ai-chan's party held expressions that said they didn't want to think about it, or rather, it wasn't a topic they found easy to broach, even for Taeko who was willing to question Eichirou's Anima.

Noting that Shimizu, Hajime, Sonobe, and Ai-chan all stared at his unconscious friend, it was all too easy to guess what their concern related to.

Kousuke couldn't blame any of them. Between a classmate's supposed false god and the threat of being mauled by monster, the latter had more weight in terms of danger to one's survival.

"Why are they fighting anyways?" Aikawa suddenly asked, breaking the thick atmosphere in their carriage. "Wouldn't we be able to go home if they just stopped?"

"You weren't listening at all to our introduction, were you?" Kousuke sighed, questioning if the guy really didn't understand the position they were in after staying here for over a month. Luckily, before the guy could snap back, Hajime interjected.

"They can't. Ishtar-san said so himself. The demons and humans have been fighting ever since the beginning so they have nothing else between them but war." Taking out a piece of paper he normally used for magic, the otaku Synergist began playing around with it, folding the slip as he spoke. "From the library books Eichirou-kun and I perused, it seems like their conflict has only ever had truces every century or so. During the brief peacetimes, they would all recuperate their losses, preparing for another round."

"Neither can beat the other completely. Humans because they lack the firepower to invade the demon's homelands," Taeko listed out. "And demons because they lack the numbers and could be overwhelmed should a counterattack be successfully mounted. It's too risky for either to get reckless."

"Mhm," Hajime nodded. Done with the slip, he murmured a chant before sending the paper airplane he made into the sky. The papercraft began to glide lower to the ground before a sudden gust of wind erupted under its wings marked by spell circles. The small thing got air and flew high, drawing their attention if only for a brief moment. "Then the demons suddenly got monster manipulation under their belt. They've gone and offset the numbers imbalance…"

"And we're the solution to that new problem." Aikawa finished it for him, reminding everyone present just why they were there but not why it had to be them. "Fuck this—"

"Aikawa-kun, language!" Ai-chan snapped out of her stupor to reprimand the boy.

"But sensei, after what happened to him, I'm not so sure about this anymore!" Saying what they all felt out loud, Aikawa Noboru's voice was kept low to a hiss. But the weight of his words had them all feeling down, nonetheless. "I know they need our help, but… …"

'I don't want to die' went unsaid. He didn't have to say it. They all didn't need him to either when they all thought the same.

No one wants to die. And yet, for the past few days, they've done nothing but face monsters. Monsters that could more or less do the same as that Dire had to their classmate.

Looking down on the sleeping form of his party leader, Kousuke noted him as the lucky survivor. Sure, one on one that he won, but he was in a coma. Almost a week now and no one commented on his inability to protect himself. Well, maybe a snippet or two from Hiyama's group, but those were more mumbles that only Kousuke managed to overhear so he disregarded it.

To say it was because he was weak wasn't a justified excuse unless you were blind.. They'd seen Eichirou train with the rest of their party. His abilities in physical combat, although seemingly inferior to Kouki's and a few of the others in strength, didn't fall short when facing Jugo and Kousuke. In fact, he made up for it in technique, taking down the inexperienced fighters with ease.

If his lack of physical prowess was still considered a weakness, however, it could be equipoised by his magic. Until now, not one could mimic his ability to multicast spells like he did that one time he demoed for the court mages. And that wasn't counting how he found solutions to mending bones or extracting poisons. Though slow in process, it was keen in details, not leaving anything to chance and reverting as much damage as possible in a short amount of time.

'Versatility was key', or so the guy made to emphasize almost all the time. He didn't give a damn if he was weaker compared to another in one aspect. He'd just make sure to kick your ass in several other different ones.

But despite all that, Kousuke understood that it wasn't his power that was being called to question, no. It was the fact in spite of it. The guy had the magic and knowledge to remove poison and fix bones, even firepower to blow out the brains of a monster the size of a car with a fist in its mouth. But at what cost? Mana exhaustion after being chucked around like a ragdoll?

_'__But he was unarmed'_, some might excuse. He still had the magic to put up a fight against it. But just because he had the power didn't mean he could kill anything and everything without putting himself at risk.

_'__He blew it up with all he had'?_ And that was safe, how? Looking at the end result, he was out cold, vulnerable to even a poisonous bug the size of a thumbnail.

And yes, Kousuke did his research alongside his friends. He had the time and he wasn't stupid enough to waste it all in physical training. There were monsters deadlier than biblical locusts, believe it or not. The records of the Heiligh Kingdom's library was extensive enough to note all the horrors of this world, including a deadly swarm of flesh-eating, acid-spitting bugs.

'I never liked bugs to begin with.' More so that they sometimes never notice that they were perched on someone too scared to shoo them away. Kousuke shivered in disgust of his secret fear. 'Moving on.'

_'__He wasn't ready'?_ Okay, but since when was war ever a fair fight?

Kousuke's scoffed the idea. Should anyone suggest such a foolish notion, he might've decked them in the head for wishful thinking. Hell, he might not even get the chance if Eichirou didn't kick them off a cliff first. The idea might even get a solid laugh out of him, albeit a sarcastic and pitying one at best for the thinker's naivety.

And besides, even if it wasn't Eichirou they were using as a standard, the predicted outcome didn't seem all too positive either. True, they were able to take down tens of monsters with ease when the Dire packs charged, but that was because their party weathered down the brunt of the masses with makeshift-mortar tactics.

Hajime's application of their study in the library more than saved time. It saved effort. Effort that would've had them intercepting a pack of beasts charging into a mob of teenagers. Every other encounter ever since the first had been small confrontations, accidental ones at best where a party of five faced three monsters that were slow or weak.

What would've happened should their entire class have been engulfed in an all-out melee with so many enemies at once? Just like that time?

"Can't be helped." Kousuke sighed as he petted the horse. The damn colt seemed surprised at the gesture. Maybe he didn't notice its owner or forgot his presence entirely… again. 'Stupid animal.' It didn't deter him from adding. "The best we can do right now is to grit our teeth and hope Eichirou can find a way for us. Preferably before any real fight breaks out. Otherwise…"

'It wouldn't even be a demon that does them in…'

Thinking back to Kentarou's earlier words of pain, Kousuke thought it was fitting.

"Uuuggghh, you could always lend me a hand instead of moping around, you know?"

.

.

.

"?!"

"EEEEEP!" "UWAH!" "What the—?"

"Uuuugh, god, my throat…" The sudden groaning had them reeling. Sonobe and the girls nearly jumping from their spot before realizing that it wasn't a zombie that let out such a raspy tone. "Aah, Aaaagh, damn. I need a drink."

""EICHIROU!"" """YAMAMOTO-KUN!"""

"Yes, yes, Yamamoto desu~~~…" Waving his hand as if to settle down a bunch of rowdy children, their awoken classmate winced in annoyance. Likely due to the volume of his reception. "Could you please quiet down—Kuho!—Someone hand me some water. Please, my throat's killing me! KUHO UHO!"

"Ah! Here!" Fishing his pockets for something, Hajime pulled out a slip and engraved a minor spell on it with his printing tool before reaching it over. As it didn't quite reach Eichirou, Kousuke obliged, nabbing and passing it on in his steed. "Thanks, Kousuke-kun. It's a Water Sphere spell. Just a small one. Around a glass' volume."

Taking it in his hands with a grateful nod, Eichirou made to start but his hacking prevented any chanting to audibly escape his lips.

"I'll take that!" Nana, snatching the slip away from the guy, made to grin before enunciating it for him. _"Collect from the air and disperse all impurities. Gather, as I command thee, Water Sphere."_ As the moisture coalesced into an orb above the slip, she held it out before him to drink from. "There, easy-peasy!"

Eichirou took a sip— UHO KUHO UGH! —and promptly started hacking.

"Fue! Oy, what's wrong?!" surprised, Miyazaki balked.

"KUHO! Miya—KUHO—Miyazaki… You're—UHO— a Cryomancer, aren't you?" Eichirou hacked.

"Eh? Yeah. Why?"

"Cold water—KUHO—isn't ideal—ahem, for sore throats…"

The girl became a bit flustered, especially when her used slip turned into ash and the cool water all but dispersed. But after handing a new slip, this time taken by Yuka, another sphere of water was readied for the thirsty patient. This time, it was satisfactory.

"So," freshly rehydrated, the guy spoke with a carefree expression. "What did I miss?"

"… … … Yamamoto-kun?" Breaking the silence, Ai-chan spoke up. "Are you really alright?"

"Yeah," he said nonchalantly. "Never better, actually! It's like a load's been taken off my shoulders."

Off to the side, Kousuke noted how Hajime sighed in relief. As the Synergist was the only one to have experienced mana exhaustion before, he took this as a positive sign. At the very least, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with him. Other than how he seemed a little too energetic that the norm.

"Oh, we're already on the move? How long have I been out?"

Looking around, Eichirou sounded awfully excited for having just woken up. But Kousuke thought he may just be trying to catch up as he knew the guy was more often than not one to keep track of current events. In that respect, Kousuke responded for him.

"Almost a week."

"What?!" Eichirou made a face that looked to be a cross between shock and disappointment. "That… long…?"

"You really pushed yourself too hard." Hajime replied. "The Order's healers and mages said that magic you cast was a bit too powerful for your body and therefore you exhausted most of your mana when you fired back at that Dire Alpha." Noting the silence, he added. "Just like my case last time, but I think your magic's power took more of a toll on you than mine did."

Eichirou turned quiet. Then, he leaned forward. On his knees with his hands splayed before him, he looked devastated. "A week… a lot of time… wasted…" Kousuke couldn't catch what he was mumbling about, but then again, Eichirou wasn't one to waste time. His coma had probably robbed him of time he could've spent on magic research and theory testing as he usually did in the palace.

Getting back home had always been priority number one and not a single moment was wasted unless it was for resting. Well, when he wasn't having the royal family turn into putty by his stories, of course.

"Relax, Eichirou." Hajime tried to calm him down. "You need to breathe and rest for a while. You just got up from a mini-coma. No strenuous activity. Or the like. Horseback is out of the question as well."

"Horse…" that seemed to catch his attention. "How's Jacky?"

"Mm." Hajime paused before answering. He sounded reluctant. Kousuke wouldn't blame him. "Blackjack's fine. It's just…"

"Your damn horse was difficult to reign in." Tamai responded for them all. "We had to try and restrain it to come along. And since it didn't exactly like anyone else but you, several people had to eat dirt before the knights resorted to tying it down. He's at the back, being escorted by Alan-san and a few—" FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE— "OI!"

Not even waiting for the guy to finish, Eichirou sat up and whistled hard. It took a moment, but the sudden commotion and a few cries from the rear suggested a successful call. Unfortunately for some, that meant the wildest of the steeds had escaped its restrainers. How it had done so was up to imagination, but Kousuke, with his vantage of being able to see a little of the rear from his spot, knew more than a couple had been unsaddled in the process.

The sound of hooves clopping became louder and louder. It didn't take long before the raging Blackjack had caught up to the carriage and began nuzzling its nose to its owner.

"There, there. Ahahah, who's a good boy? Did you miss me?" Said owner coddled the white-nosed steed as one would a dog.

Kousuke would've smiled at the heartwarming scene had he not been one of the few people that Tamai mentioned earlier eating dirt to restrain the bastard mount. It may have not noticed _him_ per se. But it had the instinct to buck him off the moment he tried wrangling the reigns. 'Stupid horse.' At least his own had the integrity to stay calm when he rode it like an… imperceptible ghost—… 'Okay, you know what? Screw that one too!'

While he kept his horse-cursing solely to himself, Eichirou's stupid steed continued licking the guy's smiling face. "Alright, alright! I miss you too, boy. Did you behave, Jackie?"

"Define 'behave'."

"Ahem…"

Smoothly ignoring Kousuke's comment, and the interrupting cough, Eichirou made to stroke the horse's mane before noticing something new attached to it. "Jackie! Did you steal someone else's bridle? Bad boy! Bad."

"I think that harness was the one used to restrain him," Yuka noted.

"Didn't they tie, like, four or five other horses to him?" Nana asked.

"They did." Taeko pointed. "The others are all snagged on his saddle."

As their gaze followed the direction of her pointing finger, four separate reigns were attached to the rear and sides of the saddle on Blackjack's backside. Besides the main one attached to its mouth, another was looped around the front hook of the seat. Along with…

"O-oy!" Shimizu, opening his mouth for the first time this discussion, asked. "Isn't that Alan-san's saddle?"

Dangling right next to the stallion's hooves, sure enough, a saddle with its belt ripped clean off swung idly. A short sword they recognized as the spearman's spare weapon was being dragged in the dirt. Lifting its head high, the horse made to show it off, as if to say 'Witness what I have achieved! Praise me more, master!'

"Ahem…"

"Blackjack! You shouldn't have done that!" Eichirou scolded the animal, deflating its high spirits like a child being told their hard work was for naught. "I hope Alan isn't too injured."

"Alan-san's injuries are the least of your problems." Kousuke pointed out as he tried to see what was happening in the rear. "I'm more worried about just how your demon horse escaped _five_ harnesses with a person and horse holding one each."

"Ahem!"

"I guess I owe them an apology." Scratching the back of his head, the guy sighed. But all sense of remorse vanished when the guilty animal began to plead. Kousuke couldn't believe his eyes as he saw the wretched, guilty beast of burden began to make puppy-dog-eyes at his owner. "Don't look at me like that! You hurt someone, so of course I'm mad. No, stop that!"

The animal's expression drooped even further. Had it been a cat or a dog, it may have been cute. To Kousuke, however, it was an ugly sight to behold to say the least.

Firstly, there was a reason why the knights refused to let the beast out at first. 'Untamable' was their initial reason. But Kousuke could say that, even if it was tamed, the things it did was too much to be considered a con. Keeping this proud and feral beast was more of a demerit to its keepers.

Secondly, the damn thing was responsible for at least one person's injuries. Alan-san surely fell off his own steed when his saddle was unceremoniously stolen. It also caused enough of a commotion that Meld had sent two of his men from the front to go check it out. The dispatched riders, initially in a rush as the travelled on either side of the caravan, made to slow when they passed by their carriage. The story explained itself to the soldiers as soon as their eyes caught the torn leashes and broken saddle.

Thirdly, that thing was smart. Kousuke didn't know how, nor did he understand in what way, but he could tell that Eichirou's horse was anything but a dumb animal. As proof, its begging was proving effective enough that its owner crumbled under the weepy expression it made.

"Aw, fine," he said while resuming the patting of the animal's head. "I could never be mad at you."

"You've got to be shitting me…" was the only words Kousuke gave as he rolled his eyes. "That's all it takes for you?"

"Oh come on," Eichirou defended the animal. "Blackjack was just worried, weren't you boy? Yes, you were! Yes, you—"

"AHEM!"

Kousuke, and the rest of the carriage, stopped in their tracks. Finally noticing their shortest member standing tall above them, they realized that Ai-chan had finally stood up from her seat, calling all their attention to glare down on her target. The who was a no-brainer.

"Um, Hatayama-sensei. Please forgive Blackjack!" Eichirou started as he moved to shield the guilty horse from the frosty glare. But Ai-chan's eyes never went to the horse, no. Following the angriest expression their class ever did see on their homeroom teacher's face, he saw it pointed directly at his party leader. "I'll apologize and help the knights later. Just… could we let him off for now—"

"I'm not mad about your horse, Yamamoto-kun."

"Eh? You're not?! That's a relief—!"

"But I mad about what you did. Seiza."

"But… … Eh—?"

"I. Said. 'Seiza'," Aiko repeated. Her tone went past ice cold and into below zero. "Now."

The freshly awakened Eichirou could do naught but slump down on his knees. Even the arrogant horse seemed to draw back under the teacher's gaze, choosing to hide its head behind its master. They both flinched as the teacher breathed in, eyes closed. Once more when she exhaled. Then both retreated slightly when her eyes opened again.

So began the most intense scolding that the class had never seen from the normally quiet woman.

* * *

'To relent was to accept. To concede was to permit.'

On her first day as a teacher, her seniors had taken note of her sympathetic, almost reluctant, attitude to punish her students.

Let it be said that Hatayama Aiko chose to become a teacher because she wanted to show the young minds of this generation the right path, be it in studies or in their daily lives. To teach children was to explore new ways for them to grow up. To express themselves. To contribute to society. To give back to those they love and do the things that they love. All of those, ideally, she wanted to give to her students for a brighter future that they could make for themselves.

But her seniors had rebuked her for using only one end of the yardstick called 'teaching'.

On the one hand, she had never refused a student who needed answers. She had always tried her best to give them what they needed to know as well as the attention they deserved. But on the other, she failed to criticize them for their wrongdoings. Mostly getting a 'Teehee, sorry!' that hardly seemed remorseful at all before they all just continued on their merry way.

That wasn't the case today. Today, Hatayama Aiko was furious. And her voice shook with unrelenting anger at her student's wrongdoing.

She scolded, she rebuked, Aiko poured her heart's anger and mind's frustration into an onslaught the child before her couldn't avoid even if he did want to hide his head behind his horse. So much so that she became momentarily oblivious to the shocked eyes of the other students around her.

"So?" her rant stalled as she tried to catch her breath. The rapid-fire berating had taken its toll on her small form. Unused to the fury she normally kept bottled up as unaddressed concern, suddenly laying out her feelings was refreshing for her mind but exhausting to the body. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"I have no excuses." The casual answer got her eye to twitch in anger. "I did what I could at the time. I do not regret my decision."

Aiko's shoulders rose and fell, matching her steady breathing as she glared daggers at the seemingly unrepentant child. She took a moment of silence to consider how she should approach the problem before inhaling deeply. "Whether you regret it or not isn't the problem here. In the first place, I thought you said you didn't want to fight."

"Yes, I'm a pacifist, sensei. That wasn't a lie." Yamamoto-kun's gaze remained low. Less of avoiding her gaze and more dismissing whatever assumptions she may have had of his declared stance. "But pacifism doesn't mean I must stand back and let others get hurt."

"Even if it means putting yourself in harm's way?"

"Yes, ma'am." The boy raised his gaze to meet hers. As she had taken a seat before him to show that she wasn't backing down on this issue, his taller posture meant her gaze wasn't level with his. But as she stared up into his eyes, she saw he held no aversion to her tone. "If that is my only available option, then, yes."

As he answered, she gazed into his eyes. All she saw was acceptance. Acceptance of the fact that he would die if it would let him save another. That mere fact coming from someone younger than her caused Aiko's worry to skyrocket, burn, and explode all at once.

She kept a stern expression, but inside, she was boiling with rage. Rage at whatever would've compelled someone as young as he to be so indifferent about death.

"Risking your life shouldn't be an option for you! Even of you have no other choice! You are just a child!"

As a child, he should be scared as well. He shouldn't NOT care about dying. Such self-destructiveness wasn't good, nor was it right for anyone to begin with.

"Self-sacrifice isn't something you should just willingly accept! If it's a decision where your life is on the line, stop whatever it is you were doing and get yourself to safety first!"

He shouldn't take on that burden. Not now and most certainly not on her watch. He was a child. As an adult, such responsibility should've been her own.

"Fighting isn't even something someone your age should be doing. Death isn't a game. War is never a game and violence, an answer! You shouldn't be so reckless and treat your life cheaply! The next time an incident like this occurs, sensei asks you to leave everything and prioritize your safety before anything else—!"

"Even if I have to forsake others to their fate?"

Aiko paused. Said in a cold, logical tone, her response should've been logical as well. But she didn't want to be _that_ person.

She didn't want to teach these children that ignoring the plight of others for the sake of their own as the correct path, no matter how controversially true it was in the real world.

Going back on her seniors' words, if she gave in here, he might as well take it as her approval. That she would sanction his reckless behavior if it occurred again. That she would approve of self-endangerment in a fight they didn't ask for or deserved to be dragged into.

But if she pushed on, she would be approving abandonment. Human selfishness was one of the many factors of the coldness of their reality. If she said yes, then her students might grow up cold, callous or indifferent of the plight of others. It wasn't self-endangerment, yes. It would be on the opposite end of the spectrum, but it would still be just as bad.

Aiko shifted under his patient gaze. She didn't want to have to choose one or the other. Not for anyone, especially not for her naïve and innocent students.

"Especially if you have to." But she'd been far too careless in disciplining them already. She had to be harsh now. "If the situation is so dire that there is no other way for you to survive, then do what you must to do just that—"

"Would you tell the same to the others?" His gaze didn't move to the other classmates, but she knew he meant them.

"All of you are my students. I will treat you all equally in this." Declaring so, she spared them all a gaze as she added. "I don't want to lose any of you. Not because I'm your teacher, but because I care for all of you."

Their gazes dropped. Though she may have said it to just her party and whoever could overhear, she truly did mean all of them. She loved her students and would do anything. Even if it meant she had to be cruel and ask them to do the bad thing for their own sake.

"Then," Yamamoto-kun's tone dropped even further to a whisper. "Would you accept it if I ask the same of you, sensei?" The others looked not to him, but to her as he said it. Their feelings clear as day from how their eyes seemed to waver in realization. "Would you accept it if I—, if we told you to leave everything… and everyone… to save yourself, Hatayama-sensei?"

Aiko hesitated, swallowing hard. But she couldn't stop here just because of his point of mutual feelings.

"This isn't about me, Yamamoto-kun. This is about _your_ willful disregard for _yourself_!" She tried to maintain her strict composure as she dismissed his concerns for others. His concern for her. _Their_ concern for her. "My survival isn't what's at stake here. If something demands _you_ to give up _your_ _life_ so easily, it's not worth the effort. As your teacher, I will not allow you to make a mistake you would surely regret."

A sound argument, it might've been. To worry for her wasn't wrong. But it was a fallacy to compare _her_ case to theirs, to equalize her twenty five years of life to their short seventeen. She was an adult. They were not.

Aiko knew her students adored her. Their overly familiarity and trusting attitude to her was proof enough and not one of them would mean to hurt her in purpose. That their decision to fight contradicted such notions was only because she knew they were desperately hanging on to any hope they could grasp. Even if it could've been false.

But death was too steep a price. Aiko didn't want to die, but more so did she not want her students to. Yamamoto-kun may have had the well-being of others in mind like she, but if he were to die, not only would that kindheartedness be a wasted endeavor, it would've done him no good. It wouldn't do his family, people who he cared for, people who want him back safe, any good.

Aiko couldn't accept letting a death come to pass. Not his or any of the others. After all, what good was to be found if an innocent life was the price?

"Never do it again. No matter if it's to do good or save a life. Even if it's in someone's best intentions, I will not approve of self-sacrifice. You shouldn't treat your life so cheaply so as to just toss if aside when the situation demands it! Whatever, or whoever it is you want to save, don't. Save yourself and abandon them—"

"THERE'S NO WAY THAT HE—!"

Yamamoto-kun's throat hitched slightly as he tried to compose himself. The suddenly raised voice had Aiko and everyone else jumping in their seat. Eyes were all drawn to the boy as he clasped a hand to his lower face. Taking a slight gasp of air, he steadied himself. And, just as sudden as it came, he quickly resumed, seemingly brushing aside his sudden outburst with a calm tone.

But the way his shoulder shuddered spoke differently of his true feelings.

"There's no way that I could've just… abandoned them, Hatayama-sensei. It was an emergency and the danger was right before my eyes. Yes, I could've run away and let Meld handle it. But at that time, at that moment, I too was also in a panic. Scared out of my wits." His voice was low, filled with remorse, self-disappointment, or maybe fear. "But in my head, a voice—my voice, reminded me one thing." Sitting upright, he kept a firm and resolute gaze. "It was either me or everyone else. Yes, I could've done what you wished and escaped with my life… But I couldn't have left that monster be. I couldn't take the chance that it wouldn't go after Meld."

His breathing had regained its composure. But his eyes, Aiko noted the depths of his violet eyes. Normally clear and confident, such was nowhere to be found. Even the cold, analytical, logical gaze he had just mere moments ago. Instead, she saw the fright in the eyes of a determined child.

"If there was the slightest risk it would go after someone else, I would've regretted that decision more. All animals follow the path of least resistance. Who's to say a beast that leads packs isn't smart enough to think the same?"

No one. There were none that could question that fact, as much of a guess as it was. The Dire Alpha had bypassed the front after all. Using the bulk of its pack as a mere distraction, it managed to sneak past them, including the knights who were used to fighting such abominations, with ease to threaten the lives of the defenseless.

"Regardless, you are a child." Aiko nonetheless firmly stated. "You shouldn't burden yourself with heavy decisions like that. Leave those choices to the adults."

'Be a kid and enjoy life,' she meant. 'Don't take on the responsibilities you shouldn't be asked to have.'

However, she couldn't say those words. Not when he blinked hard and then stared back at her defiantly. There was a sadness in those murky violet eyes. Sadness and something… more. Whatever it was, it wasn't the indifferent attitude she initially assumed he had.

He was scared. Not now. But during that incident, he most certainly was. Scared for his life as well as for the lives of others. He had a right to be. Especially since he was forced to make a decision he didn't ask for.

"I can't think of abandoning those in need. More so if they can't defend themselves, conscious or otherwise." Her gaze dropped to the girl still asleep next to him. But instead of stopping there, he shook his head. "No, that's incorrect. I _can _think of abandoning them. But I can't accept doing so. Not when I can make a difference." His balled up fists shook as he gripped them tightly on his lap. "I'm not so idealistic as to take the sacrificial route, sensei. But if my life, my actions, can save another, then all the more reason I should be prepared to do what I can. Like I have vowed on my god's name to return those reluctant home, I won't stop myself from doing something when the situation demands it."

But his expression said otherwise. Beads of sweat escaped his forehead while his eyes shook between resolution and fear. He didn't think his life cheap as Aiko had thought. No way he could be with how contradictory his message was to his visage.

It was a lie, or at least, one he wanted to believe. His visible reluctance proving to the teacher that it wasn't the stupid self-destructiveness she feared it was. He wanted to do something but was just as afraid as the rest of them. But wouldn't it be more apt to say 'he was afraid but despite it, wanted to act'?

'Yamamoto-kun isn't stupid. Hadn't he already proven that to me when he was the only other person to verbally refuse Ishtar Lombard's demand to join a war?'

Aiko's gaze floated to the civilian audience they had watching them from the rear carriages as well. None bore an expression of anger or pity. More than a handful were downcast, recognizing the liability they posed at the time. Some were too ashamed to watch further and simply hid their faces between their knees. Even the children hid away, hugged by their parents shushing them despite their own guilt-ridden feelings on the matter.

'I can't do it.' Met with such a sight, Aiko had the single thought run through her as it broke her resolve to abide by her seniors' words. 'I can't keep saying he was wrong.'

To say he was would be the same as condemning these people for their wanting to live. Should they survived because of his death, who was she to lay blame on innocent bystanders? Who was she to deny their happiness for the sake of her own?

People are selfish. She knew that. People only want what's best for themselves and those they care about. She was the same as them in wanting what's best for her students.

Yamamoto-kun wasn't wrong. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or was it 'the right place at the right time'? He had taken care of the problem before anyone else was hurt. And it's not like he was dead, right?

'He nearly was.' Aiko shook her head, the reminder echoing clearly. 'I almost lost one that day. It's my fault for letting this happen in the first place.'

The civilians weren't to blame. They were simply there because of the circumstances. Just like he was. It's not like they demanded him to be there to save them in such a risky manner to begin with. They weren't responsible for anything just because, in his panic, he decided to help them over himself.

What kind of teacher would she be for dismissing his desire to do good? And what kind of person would she be to deny others their own right to survival when she demanded the same for her students?

Aiko's gaze fell to her student. Before she, or anyone for that matter, had noticed, there was another already at his side.

"What're you gritting you teeth for?" Endou-kun said as he rustled the back of Yamamoto-kun's head with a knuckle, snapping him back to reality and wiping the stiffness from his expression. "You're no Kouki, remember? Nobody asked you to play the cool hero."

"Oy! Stop—ow! Stop it already, Kousuke! Ita! I said stop it, stupid!" The comment earned him a kick to the back from the standing Assassin. "Gah! It's my fault for not planning ahead. Hatayama-sensei's in the right for telling me off here. I'm just telling her that I don't regret doing it, not that she's wrong on how stupid I was making my choice—"

"What are you on about? And yeah, you're the stupid one. But not for the right reasons. You think you could've predicted that happening?" Disregarding his classmate's downcast admission, Endou-kun continued. "If anything, it was my fault for leaving you in the back alone during that encounter."

"And my own for not being ready to respond." From the front, Nagumo added to the party. "You always trained me to be prepared. For all of us to be. You said it yourself, remember? 'The weak like us have no right to not be ready for anything.' Just because we were winning our fight in the front doesn't excuse me for forgetting to check our backs." The boy would've stood up to approach, but the way he tripped into the back of the carriage ruined the gallant image. The embarrassed laugh he made didn't change his honest message, however. "Sensei, scold us as well."

"E-eh?" for a second, Aiko's mind blanked when the Synergist made to sit next to his friend. Endou remained standing but nonetheless nodded to her in agreement. "W-why?"

"We are a party. We're friends. But we didn't act like either." The normally reserved otaku replied. "We neglected our teammate. Our comrade. Had we not, he wouldn't be in trouble for taking such a risk to save others."

"Hell, he might've not taken it to begin with." Endou added. "If anyone's to blame for this idiot's reckless behavior, it's us for giving him the opportunity. Just because he told us to go on ahead doesn't give us any right to abandon our friends."

The display caused Aiko to balk. Sure, she would've collectively scolded them any other day for thinking as much. But now? She wasn't so sure she could.

"Oy, you two should stay out of this. I'm the one who—"

"Eichirou-kun, stay quiet for now." "Shut up for a second, Eichirou."

The pair shared a surprise glance before smiling at their similar train of thought. Turning to Aiko, they both bowed. Not a dogeza but low enough to show their sincerity, that they were both sorry for something Aiko never thought to blame them. Yamamoto-kun, made to sit out of this apology, simply let out a defeated sigh before bowing as well.

"""We're sorry for having you worry for us, Hatayama-sensei."""

"Y-you're forgiven," she hesitated to resort to her usual sympathetic side, but with their heartwarming fellowship to stand together in full display, she couldn't keep up the false defiance. It was a futile effort to begin with. She was angry still, but she couldn't stay that way for long. She had known she couldn't, hence the exasperated sigh that overcame her. "Next time, make sure to watch each other's backs. If one of you is in danger..., do what you can to keep each other safe." Her softened expression hardened once more. "But… I still urge you to never do something like that again. It is not your job to take on life-or-death responsibilities. Such heavy decisions are for us adults to contemplate on. Not just because you all lack experience, but because it isn't a burden you should be undertaking at all."

'Not yet' went left unsaid. Not that she would ever say it even if they were of that age.

"I won't make any promises, Hatayama-sensei."

She very nearly grabbed her shoe to hit him in the head, but no. Aiko wasn't a child nor would she be acting like one despite her inner frustrations demanding she vent in some way. Instead, she breathed in deep, composed herself, and waited for Yamamoto-kun to continue.

"Should someone I care about ever be in trouble like that again, I wouldn't hesitate do all in my power to save them as I did before. Panic or no. However…" Her automatic reprimand was delayed as the boy smiled warmly before staring deep into her eyes. The sad fire now gone, replaced by a warm light of a violet-colored hearth. His confidence in what he was about to say had returned, or so she guessed. "I'll take as many measures possible to prevent such a scenario from happening again. I'll be careful from now on, sensei. I promise you that, Hatayama-sensei."

"Haaah, fine." She conceded. Aiko would accept this at least. "See that you do."

She didn't want to give in, but she'd seen his expression. Though conflicting his earlier wavering, it had resolve. Whether it was a falsehood or not, she didn't have the longtime teaching experience required to tell it apart at a glance. But she still understood she had no power getting in his way short of strapping him to a chair. And as Tortus used stats in place of basic physics, she'd probably need to do it with chains.

'And wouldn't that just be torturing him by making him watch as his friends get hurt instead?' Aiko shook her head, not willing to stoop to such barbarism to get her way.

Knowing that the boy would follow through with it even if she didn't agree, she could only surrender. He was more cautious and composed given a calm environment, so she didn't doubt his promise of being better prepared next time. Sometimes he was too cautious, if his unorthodox training with his teammates was anything to go by.

'Perhaps, that one instance was the only time he slipped up and lost all composure to make a rightminded decision.' Aiko would just have to see. At the very least, starting from now, he wouldn't knowingly charge recklessly into danger if it wasn't the only solution available to him.

"As for your party," she directed her gaze to Nagumo who suddenly jumped at her glance. "Sticking together is fine. But don't follow his example and repeat his mistake. In fact, don't encourage that behavior at all!"

"Not to worry, sensei," Endou popped back into existence to respond for his friend. "We may not be as intelligent as this smartass, but we won't be as stupid and let him do anything crazy."

"At least, not alone, yeah?" Nagumo, far from his old reclusive self, leaned to put his weight on their leader's shoulder. The confident smile, a rare sight from the boy, was as honest as it was bright. "We're friends after all!"

"I'm seriously contemplating if I should thank you guys or kick your asses in our next CQC training session." Yamamoto-kun sighed in defeat under the pair of boys' replies.

"I dare you to try." Endou said with a smirk. "I heard from Hajime that mana exhaustion takes a toll on your concentration. Wanna try getting your ass beat in your condition?" Knuckles could be heard cracking. "I've been looking to even the score, especially since that damned horse of yours sent me flying into the river when we tried to restrain him."

"O-oy! Kousuke-kun, I don't think he should be moving at all! He might get injure for real—"

"Oho? Jackie deserves a reward for that. Also, don't tempt me, shinobi," their 'injured' leader snapped back. "You can catch Hajime and the others off-guard, but there's no way your half-hearted attempts will ever surprise me, Mr. Air-For-Presence."

"Oy! Eichirou-kun, don't antagonize him!"

As the trio's brotherly display devolved onto teasing, bickering, and a little roughhousing between Endou and Yamamoto with Nagumo as reluctant umpire, Aiko could only sit back and smile warmly. The thought of having the rest of their party joining in one way or another seemed to amuse her even more, earning a little giggle as the rest of the carriage stopped to watch. Maybe even smile a little at the sight as well.

All sense of amusement from the teacher soon vanished to a bitter smile, however. Not because she was disappointed in them for behaving like children. They had every right to. Rather, it was her frustration taken hold that got her spirits down. Frustration that she couldn't blame anyone for this. Not for her student's goodwill. Not for the people's will to survive.

Well, there was one that came to mind…

'What kind of deity creates a world were creatures actively hunt people anyway?!' If there was anyone Aiko could justify a blame on, it would've been the god who put her student at risk in the first place. His design of the world aside, the mere fact that such a deity demanded children from another world resolve his own's issues more than struck a nerve in the tiny teacher's mind.

She was mad and frustrated before. But now that one of her own nearly lost their life, she was livid. Still, she was powerless to do anything. She couldn't convince the children to back off as they were too prideful to show reluctance to the expectant Tortusians. She couldn't convince the Pope who had hardly given her pleas the time of day. All she could do was curse their misfortune for having to deal with Ehito's mess.

Was that all she could do? To sit back and watch them struggle. suffer or teeter at the edge of death?

The trotting of horse hooves sounded, nearing their carriage yet again. This time, however, it came from the fore and not the back. Another face that visited Aiko daily appeared. Luckily, it was the less intrusive and more concerned than that of a certain priest,

"Oh, Eichirou's recovered?" Meld's tone, sounding both relieved as well as surprised, clued the teacher in as to the owner of the approaching steed.

"Yeah, I just woke up." Her student made to stretch and frown. "Not really in the condition to exert myself though."

"Even so, it's good to see you're up, seeing as we're nearing Horaud." The Commander nodded firmly. "You can rest easy and take time to recuperate when we get there later this afternoon."

Not just Yamamoto-kun, Aiko heard everyone breathe sighs of relief. It looked like, despite showing enthusiasm at the start of their trip, many of them desired an end to the excursion. Personally, she wanted a bath and to sleep in a real bed. Not another river washing or in tents made of animal skins in the middle of the cold night air.

Aiko had grown used to it since she grew up in the countryside, but the air of the Heiligh Kingdom was akin to a Siberian tundra with giants pests and not the calmer rural Japanese countryside she grew to love. If not for the magic artifacts keeping them warm or the night watch of the Order's members, they would've frozen to death in their sleep or maybe eaten by whatever beast roamed freely into the camp.

"All of you just hang on a little longer." Meld reassured them with a warm smile before recomposing himself. "But don't lose vigilance, you hear?! Just because we're getting closer to town doesn't mean you can let your guards down. Got it?!"

""Sir!"" Saluting as the soldiers they weren't supposed to be, Aiko could only watch as they all broke away into small talks between themselves.

"There's no need for the long face, Hatayama-sama." The man approached her spot in the carriage. Not needing to dismount, she craned her neck to the side, meeting his armored chest before she could look up and meet his eyes. "I promised you I would get your students to safety and I will. Just sit tight and wait."

Normally, her party would be teasing her with words on the older gentleman hitting on her. But distracted as they were on discussing what Horaud was like, she was left to sigh in her rare lonesome. She appreciated the man's attempts to calm her down. She really did. But right now, she couldn't help the frustration boiling deep within.

"Meld-san."

"Hm? What is it, Hatayama-sama?"

Hence why she sighed to herself with a hand clasped atop her chest. "We need to talk."

* * *

"Thank you so much for saving our lives, Saint-sama!" "We won't forget it!" "We won't! We Won't!"

The children all bounced up and down beside corner of the carriage and wouldn't stop until my hand was atop their heads.

"You're welcome, little ones." They all smiled, seemingly achieving the goals their parents had sent them over for. The older ones, however, offered guilty bows. They were well aware of the price their lives may almost have cost me and thought better than to happily cheer. "Turn that frown upside down. Appreciation is shown not through grimaces, but through smiles."

More than a few of the adults behind them stiffened at hearing that before lowering their own heads as well.

"We sincerely apologize!" One of them spoke up, the baby in her arms unaware of the happenings but kept silent through the apology. "For being such a burden. Had we not been there, Saint-sama shouldn't have gone through such an ordeal. The Apostles-sama wouldn't be so depressed—"

"Please raise your head, madam." My own hand gesturing out to those who were about to follow her lead. "You weren't a burden. None of you were. If anything, it was my fault for choosing to do all that on my own. Really. It is my own fault for having worried all of you, and my companions as well."

Really, it was _my_ fault for just letting _all that_ happen. Ugh, please just stop already! This is getting difficult when none of you are responsible for it!

"After saving our lives, we're regretful that we can't pay you back." Another adult, male this time, stepped forward to speak for them all. "We've offered our services to the rest of the Apostles for the duration of the trip, but to exclude you, the one who risked his life… We would like to—"

"It's not a problem." I dismissed the man's proposal before he even brought it forth. "I'd be troubled if all of you actually did repay me for it." That wouldn't be enough, but then again, Eichirou had the perfect method to let this pass without things getting complicated. "Please, take it as Anima's blessing and instead offer a short prayer of gratitude instead."

"But," and here was the hesitation Eichirou expected. "To offer a prayer not to Ehito-sama…"

Hmph. Easy enough to resolve.

"It shouldn't be a problem, considering it was Anima who permitted the Hero and his companions to leave their world to come save your, Ehito-sama's, own. My god does not ask for much. Merely gratitude. If you'd like, offer a prayer to both with equal or more devotion for Ehito-sama afterwards. After all, it was the will of both deities to keep you all safe, was it not?"

They all balked. Of course they would. The name of Anima had spread from the capitol ever since the nobles that were saved started gossiping about it. Spreading the news kickstarted it, but the kicker was the King's Royal Decree. Writing and burning a letter may have seemed like a meager offering, however they couldn't question it as it was their king's order to thank an otherworldly deity.

That didn't mean they would all believe it.

A deity that only demanded thanks? Quite a humble deity if I had to be honest. From Eichirou's memories, there were many deities that existed or spoken about. Coming from many cultures and nations long gone, there were all kinds, good or bad.

But unlike the false Anima, they all had ambition, a selfish goal, or particular desires they demanded mortals fulfill.

Buddha was something along the lines of human enlightenment through a person wholly removing themselves from the material. The same could be said for the god of the monotheistic Middle Eastern religions. Being a central figure as 'origin of the world' it made for the perfect template story that Anima had been based from. The gratitude portion was the only aspect he took however as demanding the Tortusians all prostate themselves to an unknown deity was the same as proclaiming a new religion in the face of the major one here.

Still, it was all just the same in my eyes. By that, I mean the concept of deities. An ideal image that came along with certain rules that was the basis for society's morals. A tool used by the few with influence, knowledge, and power to control the unassuming masses.

Even Eichirou would think so. I know he did.

"I cannot speak for yours as Ehito-sama's teachings are foreign to me, but a simple thanks would be enough. Both for me and my god, Anima."

It was a lie, of course. But it was a harmless one that softened the support passed on to the kidnapper deity of Tortus as well as maintained a 'religious buffer' that kept said deity's cronies from getting too in over their head. The innocent and ordinary people like these ones didn't need to know that.

"Please. Do only this and nothing more." Using _his _skills from Earth's acting lessons, I made the most convincing pleading expression I could. "If not for my god, do it for my sake."

"… Very well. In Anima's name, we thank you for saving us."

"In Anima's name…" "We thank you, Anima-sama…" "Thank you…" "We thank you as well, Ehito-sama…" "Oh, Ehito-sama. We are grateful for your having summoned such a humble Apostle…"

'The nerve…' No one noticed my eye twitch slightly in annoyance. One by one, they all said their dues. Most kept silent, but didn't the saying go that the most heartfelt were those that kept their tongue? It bemused me to think so. Shouldn't one wholeheartedly give what they could as recompense if they truly were? 'Were these people seriously all that remorseful for what had happened?'

I wouldn't know, seeing as I only had _his_ memories of human interaction on Earth to work with. Better this than no interaction at all, I suppose. If they didn't thank me, then they weren't worth saving at all. Either that or education here is so lacking that common courtesy is considered a non-essential. Glad to see it wasn't either. There were good people here.

It's just disappointing Eichirou didn't really care enough about them to actually save them from the demons.

"Anima accepts. And I as well." Smiling back warmly, I added. "Now go on about your day. Spending it to repay a bed-ridden individual at the back of a carriage is a waste of time." Being demanded to go away may have been rude, but with a benevolent smile, I explained. "You shouldn't spend too much time thanking your savior. You're better off doing something else, no? Spend the time you have with your loved ones. That or working towards your life goals."

"It is in accordance with Anima's teachings that you do what you will and not forego your own right to happiness." Some still didn't get it, mostly the children. But that was to be expected. "You're all alive today. Don't waste it talking to just me. Go on and continue living that life to achieve your own happiness."

Understanding my words, the adults finally broke into grins and appreciative nods. I spent a couple of minutes talking to the families that came to give me their last well-wishes, some of the children even hoping for a pat on the head as well. After that was done, those who came by to offer their thanks left me to my lonesome.

Well, not entirely. Hatayama Aiko and her party were still here, one or two even giving me weird stares as I acted like a pope or priest. 'Hm. Looks like they aren't used to it. Then again, Eichirou also balked when he saw the Pope in Rome as a kid.'

The classmates staring was going to be a slight problem in that they may take it as Eichirou being a religious weirdo, but thankfully, that was going to be minimal. Their attention had mostly been drawn by the town gates so back to ogling the main entrance they went. Hajime and Kousuke had already gone to our carriage to retrieve our gear. That meant it was just me and the still-sleeping slave in the rear of the carriage.

"Thanks again for what you've done, Saint-sama!" "We will never forget this debt. Not to you or Anima-sama." "Bye-bye, Saint-sama!"

"May we meet again! Hopefully, in less dire circumstances!" I waved back to them as they took their place in a long queue. A few of them chuckling at the joke. It was more of a formality than actual well-wishes, as Eichirou would've wanted me to. But I kept the façade up, nonetheless, as we passed by the guards going over the new arrivals. For us who were being escorted by the Knight Order, we didn't need to dismount for a checkpoint as the other civilians did. "Anima watches over you all."

Hearing that, the last goodbyes were shouted, or excitedly waved by the younger ones, and our carriage moved forward, past the gates of Horaud.

I sighed. 'Haaah, so exhausting…'

The cart lurched on ahead. With my waking only just being a few hours ago, I was relegated to the backseat to relax. Everyone else enjoyed a better view of the town but the only difference was that they were enthusiastically fighting for a better position in the front to see it first. I got to enjoy the sight unobstructed from my humble seat in the back.

All in all, Horaud wasn't what I thought it would be.

A walled town with more houses than they had shops. Beyond the walls, farmlands stretched out. Spacious and airy, but only that. The inner town had more filled in spaces. From the entrance, the stables came into first view as another convoy of carriages prepared to leave for other towns before stopping back at the capitol. Rows of streets were lined with shops of various fields. Inns and bars peppered the area here and there, a healthy competition considering the large number of people going in and out of each.

A market plaza was just out of sight and closer to the gaping hole that was the Orcus Great Labyrinth's entrance. Houses and residences were far off in the distance, some either built into a store or lining up other streets as separate districts. An entrance to the slums could be seen as well, judging by the dainty shacks that hid in the corner of view.

There were four buildings I could deem as important. Mostly by their height amidst the town's backdrop, but also from how pristine or grand their conditions were. A town hall stood near the center of town. It looked to be adjacent the plaza and marketplace, hence its close proximity to the Labyrinth entrance. The adventurer hall was next to it. The building had more armored people running in and out of it, plus they were closer to the Labyrinth than the town hall was.

'I suppose it was in case monsters decided to spill out that they were prepared for it. That or maybe just the job hazard.' Like a mineworker's hut located next to their quarry's entrance.

Next to that, a towering church steeple. Three guesses as to who's church it was. It took the center stage of town, no surprise considering the country's religion, but it looked the least pristine of all the important buildings. It's walls, originally marble, looked a bit hazy. Some of its statues of angelic beings looked under-maintained, chipping away here and there.

'Hm? Suppose that they aren't all that zealous or stuck-up around here.' Had they been, it would at least rival or be as well-cared for like the temple the class had been summoned in. 'I don't think that puppet pope would even permit something like this.'

That was considering the fact that the town's garrison, less of a keep and more a stone building used as militia headquarters, looked cleaner and tidier. The structure was near the main gate, about a few tens of meters. A precaution for an attack or prisoner transport, I believe. They even had their own stables. Likely for quick-response efforts.

All in all, this was all they had to offer. 'Disappointing… And here I thought a new place would have new sights…'

From Eichirou's memories, there were more intriguing places on Earth. He'd been around the world, so it didn't surprise me that the sights of Horaud wasn't much compared to it all. The mountainside scenery of the Swiss Matterhorn was nice. I didn't understand why his last memory there was one sliding down it, but whatever. I wasn't that interested in mountains. Internally, I had already compiled a list of such wonderful places I wanted to visit. The place called Disneyland was on the top, of course. Jurassic Park came last.

Man-eaters were already a problem here. I do NOT like a park that thinks watching, or interacting with, monsters as 'fun'.

Still, it was weird though that I got a strange sense of disgust whenever I sifted through Eichirou's recollection of the place called an 'amusement park' or 'carnival rides'. Especially that one where he got into a seat and the images just flew past in a blur, the taste of vomit often surfacing despite our body being of the picture of perfect health.

Not now, of course. Mana exhaustion, was it called? I hated that. Damn thing (and yes, I can curse while Eichirou's knocked out because who's gonna stop me?) ruined my plan to enjoy our first trip outside.

'A week?! A whole week?! Stupid dog! Damn it too for ruining my precious field trip!' Given the chance, I would roast that Dire alive. I don't care if it was an Alpha or pack leader. I was mad at it for wasting all that time for me. 'The only reason why I didn't demand the obliteration of its pelt when Jugo said he kept it for me as my 'trophy' was because it would be weird for Eichirou to randomly set things on fire.' That was something I had to be mindful off. Even if Eichirou wasn't awake, I was _posing as_ him. 'He did say I could enjoy myself so long as I kept it under control and act as he would.'

That was… restricting. In more ways than one. Not because he was a boring guy who showed little to no interest in playing games. I 'd seen his past as clear as if it was my own. He played a lot of things. Sports, hiking, video games, puzzles, even that confusing tile-er… card? game called Settlers of… Cata.. Catar? Or something or other he played with his grandfather. So long as it was with his family, he didn't discriminate on the types of 'fun' they tried.

Only that, ever since coming to Tortus, all those were unavailable and his remaining idea of 'fun' had been teaching and magic research. What made it worse was the fact that those were all pretty much a façade so he could keep calm while distracting himself with the strange art!

'What kind of 'fun' was I supposed to get from there? Besides the sights, there was nothing else I could do _as Eichirou_!' Sitting at the back of the carriage, I watched as children ran around playing tag. 'I wonder when I will be able to do things '_as Mia'_?' The small urge to join them was pushed down by the threat posed by the owner of this body revoking my autonomy privilege should I embarrass him. 'Or not! I mean, he plays with Lundel like it's nothing!'

But then that would tire out his body, leading to either Meld or Aiko, definitely Aiko, to grounding him just for rest. 'If it came to that, I'm sure to get in trouble for cutting down _his _freedom while he was out cold.' I sighed. If others saw it, they would translate it as my exhaustion. But in reality, I was just bored as all hell. 'Not having my own body sucks balls…'

I flinched slightly, expecting a reprimand for thinking in cuss words but none came. Another sigh escaped me as I remembered I was alone in my—no. Not 'my'. _His_ head.

Having a name at least eliminated being considered as nothing but a voice in his mind. It did little for my identity, however. The fact that I wasn't Yamamoto Eichirou didn't bother me. It was the fact that I couldn't be _me_ that hit harder than an isekai truck. 'Was that how Hajime would use that phrase?'

Frankly, I could care less. We were two different individuals with differing circumstances trapped sharing the same body. And I hated it. Unlike he who didn't think twice about jumping into the fray to save that girl and those people, I was still shaking in his boots. And that didn't factor in the eerie feeling I got when I responded to the tiny teacher's scolding.

"'There's no way that I could've just abandoned them', huh?" with no one but myself and the sleeping girl nearby, my whisper went unnoticed by those standing near the front of the carriage, arguing a chance to enjoy the sights first. 'Hmph, and here Eichirou calls me selfish…'

The smile abruptly stiffened as I remembered that scolding. Berated by another for a mistake not my own… it stung. Especially since I had to keep acting like him the entire time. I couldn't even defend myself or wash my hands of the fact. I had to be Eichirou during the worst possible moment to wake up. 'Dammit, he owes me big time.'

A favor for covering for him as best as I could. And also an explanation for the bone-chilling, involuntary reply to the teacher's words. I didn't understand why I responded so readily there. My head just blanked, a ringing in the back and poof, a response so automatic, I had to cover my mouth before I broke character.

'What. The. Hell…' I could just sift through his memories for the answer, but wouldn't he just get mad if I actually did that without his permission? I could try, but do I really want to risk his ire? 'No. Of course not. I'm trapped with him after all.'

And wouldn't having the only person that's aware of your existence ignore you be a lovely idea. It was practically a death sentence. He wouldn't do it, not unless he had good reason to. So why should I push for it? That was 'adding fuel to the fire', wasn't it?

And what a dark fire it was.

The word 'abandon' resonated within me so... negatively. It felt aggravating to even reminisce the word. Worst of all was the fact that I couldn't associate it with any of his recent memories. So going by logic, it was older. Before Tortus. Before his siblings were born. A far deeper, and personal memory.

'Does he have an issue with abandonment or—No, Mia! Bad Mia! Don't delve on it. Don't ask questions! You're in _his _head. The moment you start getting curious, he just might find out when he wakes up!'

Whatever issues he had, it would be best to wait for him to talk about it. Better that he does so willingly and without my asking. If anything, I didn't want to anger him. Or be abandoned by him.

A cold feeling washed over me that I had the urge to grasp my arm. 'Hm, familiar. Where have I…?' Realization came to me as I remembered where I had this feeling before and what it was called.

'Fear… is it?'

What was I afraid of? Being abandoned? Probably as it was the only thing I was thinking about when I felt it. But then, I also felt it back there, during that fight, didn't I?

'I don't want to die.' Strange. No matter how many times I repeated the phrase in my head, it hardly felt… correct to think it was true. But at the time when Eichirou and I were in dire straits, it was the only thing that came to mind. Then, did that mean it wasn't my trail of thought, but his own? 'Wouldn't be the first time I felt or thought something he did. It's his body we share after all…'

Of course, I didn't know how this all worked. Neither Eichirou nor I knew what I was, let alone if I was even alive. Nothing from Eichirou's memories or all his knowledge had anything legitimate to note about my case. Unless we counted him having a split personality which was me. But that was stupid.

'Heh,' I scoffed the at the idea. 'What kind of split personality comes with the bonus of magic different than the norm?' I was an anomaly in the sense that existing as I am was anomalous. I wasn't human, yet I was afraid. I can't be considered alive by the definition of the term, yet I wanted to live. What exactly was I—? "Ngh!"

Another pain seared itself in the back of my head. A familiar thumping that came every now and then when _that _occurred.

"Yamamoto-kun, something wrong?"

"Nothing, Sugawara," I waved away the concerned girl's gaze with a fake stretching. "Just a minor headache. The monster fur really doesn't cut it as a pillow."

"At least you were able to sleep like a baby," Miyazaki replied in place of Taeko. "We couldn't catch a break the whole week!"

"I recall someone snoring like a log just the other day—" "UWAAAAH! Don't paint me as unladylike, Taeko-chan!"— "… I didn't even mention it being you." "Ah… Forget what I said!"

Ignoring the girls' pointless bantering, I pulled out a slip and began to take notes with what utensils I had on hand. Small lead-like chalk on paper was difficult without a desk, but Eichirou would want to know what new spell had subsumed itself in my brain. _Our_ brain.

Strange as it may sound to others, it wasn't to us as this had become somewhat of a norm. We had magic that I could chant in a dead language, 'Latin' was what it was called, and I could activate them without a circle. New words and their meaning would occasionally pop into our knowledge. Shared as it may be, it only ever pained me.

The sensation was like a sudden reminder that came with a migraine. I believe, in Eichirou's world, it was called a 'hangover'. What one would get when remembering happenings from a drunken night before. They _were_ like memories coming back, knowledge that should be there… It felt right to know it was there… However, none held any clue as to my former existence at all.

A memory without personal or semantic worth. Just factual knowledge about how an action, or idea, should be perceived, so to speak?

'I'm really _not_ human,' I reminded myself as I strained with what I knew to be true yet found hard to believe. 'No human should be stuck in another's head. No human should be a disembodied voice that can steal control of the body from its owner. No human should occasionally have magic pop into existence in one's consciousness.' But then again, a human had desires. A human had emotions. A human could feel happiness, curiosity, excitement, fear, pain, and worry. 'Did that mean I was—?'

Shaking my head away from the distracting thoughts, I continued to write out the details, phrase and understanding that accompanied the new spell. It was short and not too complex in its design. Like the Fortification spell 'Murus', this one was basic in practice, contrasting that of the Confession and Divine Protection spells Eichirou had me cast before last week.

Now that I had recognition and awareness of it ingrained into thought, it sounded and almost acted the same as the wind spear, 'Ventus Hastam', but not as overbearing. Smaller in scale, and not with the same intended purpose as that brain-blasting, bone-rending, coma-inducing spell.

I was excited to test it out. But—why? It was new and something I had yet to experience. But looking back on it, this piece of knowledge, like all the other spells we acquired through the headache, hardly served any purpose besides being a utility for Eichirou and I to add to the rest of the arsenal. This thing wasn't part of Tortus' system of magic. If it was, I'd have needed to draw a circle before using it to take out that monster bitch. It was foreign, unknown, a mystery. Why was I even feeling positive about knowing it?

Because it was strange and something I had yet to see? Because it sent a comfortable and familiar vibe through my being when I used the spells that were unique to only me and Eichirou? As I wasn't human, why should I even feel curiosity, or excitement, for this… unnatural and weird phenomenon?

I didn't understand.

The magic, the emotions, the lack of memories, the desires, the everything and anything related to my being. They were all there. They were likely clues to my identity… and yet, they didn't fill me with anything satisfactory.

All I got was this realization that I was empty. That I wasn't who I thought I was. That bothered me.

I didn't understand and it bothered me to no end.

'Haaah,' with a sigh, I relaxed myself. Breathing in, holding breath, and release. Breathing in, holding, and again, release. I attempted what Eichirou did to calm himself down. Upon the third attempt, I pocketed the slip and pinched the bridge of our nose, adjusting Eichirou's glasses that sat atop it. 'Not good, Mia. Focus. You're not _you_ right now. Don't lose your head now. Otherwise, he won't let you hear the end of it.'

Yup. Better to clear my head of all these worries now and just relax a bit. Eichirou's taking a dirt nap so might as well do what I can—or what I want—until he gets back. When he does… well, that's when we can talk about this.

'After all, he's the only one aware of my being.' Again, I shook my head to rid myself of the depressing thoughts. 'Depressing' being an objective term to describe it as Eichirou's memories suggested it to be so. But that was neither here nor there. With nothing else to do and my interest in seeing the town a little disappointed, I stared into the wide open sky above. Another sigh left me as the carriage slowly trudged along. 'Is this what people feel and think about when they have a mind all to themselves?'

If so, it was cold, dark, and quiet. Most of all…, though I wouldn't want to admit it to _him_, it was lonely.

"Alright, we're here." Meld's voice interrupted my musings. Unaware of the fact, the knights all dismounted as soon as Meld did. The 'here' he referred to being the garrison's stables located close to the gate. "My men will handle the carriages and all the materials you guys got on the journey. You can all take it easy for the meantime."

The class collectively sighed under the wry smiles of their escorts. Couldn't be helped. Their charges were all unused to slow, long-distance travel by horse carriages after all. As teenagers from Japan, they were probably used to one-day trips by riding those 'trains' of theirs. Eichirou explained as much beforehand that even he wasn't used to travels that took over a week and his was over air.

Well, I suppose spending most of that time asleep and not in control of his own body was a blessing in disguise after all, considering even the pretty-boy Hero was stretching while stifling his own yawns.

"Those that want to head to the inn, follow Karla," as Meld pointed out one of his knights, a woman about a decade older than the students, maybe Hatayama Aiko's age or more, saluted. "As for those who want to stretch their legs, go on ahead and see the town if you want. This place has competent guards, what with the place housing a Labyrinth after all. If you get lost or need to ask questions, just ask the patrols that regularly pass by."

As if to show compliance, all the nearby guardsmen present saluted as well. Seeing this, the class all relaxed and dismounted their rides before beginning to split up to do their own thing. My attention caught those that passed by my spot.

"Nee~, Shizuku-chan, let's go into town!" Ever the enthusiastic, that girl that liked Hajime cheerily spoke up.

"Kaori, calm down. You're too excited for this." Counter to that, her best friend, the one that Eichirou scolded, remained stoic as ever.

"Eeeh, but I wanna stretch my legs! You too! Aren't you tired of sitting on horseback all day long? Don't you want to come and explore with me?" strangely, Shizuku looked interested in the idea before her face straightened up and she shut it down completely.

"Wouldn't you want to take a clean bath first? And wouldn't you want to freshen up before…" The Priest girl puffed into a shade of red as the Swordmaster lowered her voice. Subtly sniffing her sleeve, it didn't take a genius to know what she mumbled to her best friend. "Alright, I got it. We'll go once we clean up."

I would've chuckled in amusement, knowing what, or who, Kaori must've been thinking about when she suddenly kept quiet. But that would be tactless on Eichirou's part. Keeping their situation to myself, I turned my attention to the carriage's vacating party of the diminutive teacher.

"Aikawa-kun, be sure to bring that over to the knights. They're collecting it after all."

"Got it, Ai-chan!" the boy smiled as the teacher pouted for his casual calling. Seems that she still didn't like the way they referred to her even after all this time. "Come on, Shimizu. Pick up your end a little higher."

"I'm trying! You're just rushing!" The freckled boy was right. The taller Aikawa carried their crate of materials with ease, but he'd been rushing ahead, not letting his companion stabilize his grip on the opposite end. "Take it easy, will you? I'm not as tall as you!"

"No more dawdling, you two," interrupted Aiko before she turned to face the others. "Sonobe-kun, can you please make sure we haven't left anything behind? Miyazaki-kun, you and Sugawara-kun should get call on of the knights for assistance so we can carry the girl inside—"

"That won't be necessary, Hatayama-sama."

"What do you mean, Meld-san?"

I watched as the taller approaching man didn't seem to cow at Miyazaki's inquiry. If anything he looked like he expected it.

"That girl is a witness to the incident your party encountered upon entering the woods. Besides the already-deceased victims of the unknown destroyed caravan, she's the only lead we have to ascertain their identities and purposes for being there." He had his arms crossed but kept a neutral pokerface. "As it stands, she'll be put under the garrison's care and will be interrogated when she wakes up."

The girls looked like she wanted to protest. Aiko especially. She'd taken the job of caring for the girl away from me—Eichirou, for his sake after all. If she wasn't keeping an eye out for her, then it would fall to _me_ as her caretaker. I would have to do what Eichirou promised he would. In this case, taking care of the child's health till we could get her back oner feet.

While I had no qualms with it, I didn't see it as beneficial to either of us. The girl was a slave. A non-human at that. Her relation to the human Apostles should've been antagonistic at best due to their culture.

But Eichirou didn't care about that. He was too invested in 'saving people'. That and a little priest might get it in their head to do something drastic. Be it to harm or get rid of the child. I may have been asleep alongside Eichirou for almost a week, but I wasn't a fool not to notice that none of them liked the kid.

Deene wanting nothing more than to separate her from the holy figures that were the Apostles was an obvious response.

He didn't even hide it. Should the girl disappear, I wouldn't be able to think of anyone else to pin it on. I know my host would as well. Heretical as it was in their views as believers of the racist Church of Saints, Aiko probably assumed I would do something in retaliation should someone 'under Anima's protection' be harmed. I wouldn't. But Eichirou most definitely would.

Her worry was as much for the child as it was for Eichirou. And that concerned me as well, standing in for him.

She needn't have worried though. Meld needed the girl and he wasn't going to budge on this. Considering what was found _inside_ the girl, this was going to be non-negotiable. Not that Eichirou hadn't already figured out why it wouldn't be.

My eyes glanced over the sleeping girl but stopped at the sacks of the strange substance we extracted from her instead. As luck would have it, Hajime had taken good care of the two bags. Thinking such an odd item to have buried in one's stomach, it was obviously important enough to keep away for later investigation. And boy, did Eichirou's Appraisal skill have something to say about the dangerous substance.

"Worry not, Hatayama-sama. I'll take care of it." Meld's interruption of my thoughts seemed to direct the latter part to me as he held his right fist over his heart and bowed. "By my word, no harm shall befall her."

"A knight is as good as their word, Hatayama-sensei." From my seat, I addressed the still-reluctant woman. "Meld's just doing his job. We can trust him with the girl." Looking over to him, I asked as solemnly as a priest would for a follower. "You will keep her safe, even after the interrogation, correct?"

"So long as her involvement in the incident is made clear." A hidden suspicion that she may be an accomplice or a slave that instigated it as an attempt to escape. "But depending on the circumstances, we'll decide when the time comes."

In short, 'for now, she's safe'.

Though I didn't care for her, I didn't like the sound of that. I knew Eichirou wouldn't at all. But as his insinuation would only come true when the time comes, I just nodded back. Aiko, on the other hand, sighed in acceptance. "Very well. I'll leave her to you. But Yamamoto-kun?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She paused, oddly glancing at Meld before staring back at me. "I'll be going on ahead to the inn. Whatever your plans for the day, I hope you remember what I told you."

"I'm in no condition to push myself, sensei." I grinned when she didn't seem to believe that would stop Eichirou. It wouldn't, probably. But better to give reassurance than proof to worry over something, no? "I'll keep it in mind and stay out of trouble, sensei. Besides, I'll have my whole party with me. If I do get caught in something, they'll be there to help me out. And vice versa."

She still didn't seem convinced, but with her own party getting impatient, she decided to let this go and led her rowdy group to the inn. That left me alone with one Knight Commander and one sleeping slave. The girl lightly twitched in her sleep, probably dreaming but not enough to wake her. A shame. I didn't want to play babysitter all afternoon.

"Eichirou, you got the time to talk?"

'Aw, dammit…Really?'

"I'm not going anywhere." I played along as Eichirou would. "I'm still waiting for the others. Hajime said they'll come to pick me up. We planned on taking a quick walk around town before turning in for dinner." For now, they went on to unpack our stuff from the carriage. Well their stuff, seeing as my and Eichirou's gear was all kept with Blackjack. The steed sadly couldn't be permitted to stay next to me and had been reined off into the stables. It was only by my waving that it calmed down enough to cooperate. That being said, something about Meld's expression didn't sit right with me. "What's up, Meld?"

"I'll need the girl to talk." He said quietly. "Preferably within a day or two."

"So soon?" At his nod, I had to stop my eyeroll otherwise, I would've exposed my extreme reluctance as Eichirou's own. "Can't it wait? She still hasn't recovered, you know?"

"I'll be starting a briefing with the town's authorities soon. That kid… well, I guess 'your patient'." He nodded to the sleeping figure nearby. His self-correction was done with a certain air of reluctance. If it was done out of distaste for her race, I can't exactly blame him for not liking demi-humans all that much. It was their culture and neither I nor Eichirou had a say in it, despite how much he disagreed with it. "Like I said, she's an important witness. Whatever she was involved in concerns me. We've got no other leads and I doubt a monster would tell us even if they could speak."

I smiled at the joke but knew better than to laugh when he had no idea what I and Eichirou just went through.

'Ah, speaking of which, what the fuck was that?!' Otherworldly wars, demons and gods, and now monsters can actually talk?! My being an anomalous existence aside, this whole place was like the inside of an insane asylum patient's head. Well, that or a druggie.

"Think you can wake her up for an interrogation by tonight?"

"Hatayama-sensei's told me that she's been having nightmares, so I'd rather she rest for another day or so."

Meld's interruption had me feeling the girl's temperature using the back of my—our hand as I replied. Though scaly in some areas and outright spiny in fewer others, she wasn't as coldblooded as her reptilian features made her out to be. In fact, she was quite warm. Feverishly so.

"But I can try. However, if she wakes up and starts panicking, I'm gonna need someone to restrain her until I activate a calming spell." I kept an eye on the man's expression before adding. "Preferably, as gentle as possible. After which, I would like to ask for a place this child can rest easy until she fully recovers. Whatever her relation to the case you're investigating, I did offer her protection under Anima's name. Unless I'm absolutely certain she's guilty of any of your country's crimes, I intend to follow through with my promise."

"Hmm, got it. I'll make the preparations."

No change. Not a quirk or grimace to be had. He was one-hundred percent fine with my—Eichirou's decision to stick up for the girl. That or he just didn't care enough to rebuke it. Deene Ambrogio, that loudmouthed puppet of the Church as he was, would've begun frothing as soon as either I or Eichirou made to treat this child as being remotely human. Would probably rebuke us for it too, despite us being 'a holy figure of the church' as he puts it.

Not that I expected anything less from fellow followers of the creepy Pope to begin with.

"Don't worry about the personnel keeping an eye on her. I'll choose my more… cooperative men." He means 'those less likely to act out of fanaticism'. Better than nothing then. Well, there was a better alternative.

"Please not men." I smiled wryly at his confusion. "Have some respect, okay? She's a girl, so I would prefer it if you chose a woman to do the restraining. That and keeping watch." As much as I didn't care about these things, Eichirou would have my head if I forgot about respect for gender.

My not knowing my true gender aside, he respected my wish for a woman's name. I don't think he would take it back, but it'd be better for me to respect what he believed to be moral. It was only fair, given that it was his life and his actions I was supposed to be taking right now.

"Alright then." Meld still didn't seem at all bothered and moved on. "About the place we're keeping her, Horaud's garrison headquarters, they have a medical facility near the prison and some restraints should we need them." He seemed reluctant to even suggest it but did so anyway out of necessity. Brushing it away with a small grin, he added. "As for transport, Reed will carry her over for now once he's done handing the garrison my orders. We can't have you tiring yourself out before we start."

"Thanks for the consideration." Not that I needed it as I had no plan on carrying her in the first place. Eichirou might've but he was out cold still.

"If you want, I'll also get Alan to help you walk around town—"

"No need for that, Meld. I can walk on my own." I shut that down almost immediately, not wanting to be coddled when I wanted to enjoy the feeling of moving around on my own. "So long as it's just walking, it shouldn't be too much of a chore."

"… Very well," he replied after a moment of hesitation.

Hmm? The man would normally take things in stride. Less hesitation or wasting time. And he was eyeing me more than usual. I mean, Eichirou is a weirdo that warranted some attention, but the way Meld stared at me with concern was… well, concerning. How strange.

"Once we're ready, I'll have someone fetch you." He said, the concerning expression disappearing from view. "In the meantime, go and enjoy yourself with the others around town. But not too late, you hear? Even if we're not diving into the Labyrinth tomorrow to allow you all time to rest from the constant encounters, you're not to stay out after dark."

"I take it it's about the _security issue_." He didn't tense up like those stereotypical old-man-characters from Eichirou's memory-manga. Only a nod back in affirmation with a slight grimace. Of course, he wouldn't finch. I knew he knew that Eichirou was aware of the dangers. Eichirou clued the guy in himself beforehand. So, in classic Eichirou style, I chuckled with a subtle nod and grinned back as a sign of cooperation. "Understood. I'll make sure we head back before nightfall and stay out of trouble so long as we can."

Not long considering the sun just a few hours away from the horizon. And since we just got here, no problem should crop up so soon. Unless an idiot decided to do something in town. 'Dammit, I'm running out of time today! Where are those guys?!'

"Remember, we'll be staying at the inn down the main road. It's the one next to the church, the building with a steeple." A glance over his shoulder and I spotted the landmark almost immediately. If not for the obvious, a trail of students and knights heading there pretty much shouted 'over here'. "This town is well-guarded and peaceful enough that you won't need too many eyes on you." Pointing over to the walls and nodding to a few uniformed men exiting the garrison, I realized he was pointing out the local militia and guardsmen. I didn't fail to see those of the escort group slowly joining them to reinforce their posts. "If you need assistance, ask the militia here. They've been ordered to assist the Apostles in any way possible. They'll also guide you back should you get lost."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"My men will be mixed in among them as well," he added with a quiet tone. "Just so you know."

'To keep him informed of any altercations. Should the need arise, that is.' Meld wasn't being subtle, I noted before nodding back politely. Taking the silence as the end of it all, I slowly hefted myself up from my seat.

Meld looked to try and help me with my balance, but when I noticed it, I immediately hopped down the carriage and made to stand tall with my hands outstretched. His awkward attempt faltered, replaced by a slightly frustrated grin of his that caught my attention.

"What's wrong, Meld?" I decided to poke. "You're looking a bit tired there."

"Just exhausted from the trip. Don't let it bother you." He gave a confident smile that belied his so-called exhaustion. "I'm more surprised you're not sleeping in today, after all you've been through."

"Still, compared to me, it's not good for the Commander of all people to get tired." I jokingly smirked. "You sure you can handle taking charge of security in that state?"

"Oy, I'm tougher than I look, you know?" He made to smirk with that gruff confidence often mistaken for arrogance. "I'll take more than simple exhaustion to take me down."

"I'm more worried that you'll be too busy to even notice your men needing orders." I directed a glance to the few knights heading for their posts. "Can't be too easy for your men to have a commanding officer also being a busybody at the same time."

"Nothing to worry about there." He crossed his arms with a metallic clink of armor. "The Captain of the guard here is a responsible man. Even if I'm out of commission, he can take care of things for me. If not him, the Knight Order has a chain of command for such scenarios. And I trust them enough to make their own decisions."

As he shrugged away my concern, I noticed he didn't take a step back. It was almost as if he placed himself nearby to be ready. If it was to react to danger, that would be contradictory to his words of the town being safe. But if it was to, say, catch me should I trip or fall, it would be another matter entirely.

'He's being cautious about me.' I thought. 'Probably due to my just waking up. Still really strange since he'd never been this wary with Eichirou before. Even during those horrid training sessions.'

Horrid in the fact that Eichirou's body, no matter how capable in a fight, lost to the old soldier's rigorous routines. Having the misfortune of sharing a body, Eichirou made me sit, or rather 'work up a sweat', in his place a few times before.

_'__You wanted to have fun with a body, right?'_ To hell with that fucking excuse. That was NOT fun! No matter how far or fast _I_ was allowed to run, if it was in exchange for the body rental time while being drilled by a muscle brain, I'd rather stay his mental ghost! 'Asshole…'

All that aside, it seemed that Meld was showering Eichirou with a tad too much concern to be superficial. He didn't need to personally come and explain all that stuff about the guards. I'd already heard it and noticed them dispersing into town.

'He didn't need to tell me that bit about the knights working together with the militia either,' I thought as I leaned back on the carriage's side. 'No point in doing so since I—Eichirou, I mean, didn't really have the need to know about it, did he? Eichirou wasn't a strategist for their group. Only his party. Moreover, lending command to a child was… well, fantasy-setting might have explained this if Tortus_ was fiction_.'

He mentioned the Order having a 'chain of command'. I didn't understand how military hierarchies worked and seriously doubted that counted as a reason to inform me. But assuming it wasn't that, the only other plausible explanation he would tell me that his men were scattered across town was to say that I can find help wherever I may need it. That or he's really being cautious about something else.

'Hm. Might as well just take it as him being the latter. Eichirou did just knock himself out into a weeklong coma, but I doubt Meld would be showing favoritism. It's probably a class-wide precaution while they were in town seeing as he didn't see the need to assign them individual guides or escorts.'

It didn't take long before Reed came by. Seeing me up and about, the swordsman knight offered a polite smile and bow.

Ever the quiet one. Eichirou had noted that between Reed and Alan, the former was more responsible and the latter showed far too much devotion to his role as a protector. Sparring against him with spears was one of the better parts of the training sessions so long as the guy took it us just practice.

Back on topic, I personally found them endearing as people. They certainly balanced their commander who was neither devoted to his job as commander nor did he act responsible enough until the situation demanded it. For that, I liked to think of Reed as the stoic and unreadable type.

It all changed when he reached over for the girl.

Gently lifting the still-unconscious lizard slave into his arms, I noticed he, like all the others, turned his nose away from her, albeit subtly. He must've been trying to stay polite by repressing his distaste, but at any rate he didn't drop her like a sack of vegetables so it was better than I or Eichirou could've asked for. I don't think the other knights would appreciate playing caretaker for her after all.

"Alan will find you later when I've prepared the interrogation room." He didn't need to mention it as, with his people scattered across town, it wouldn't be too difficult for any of the knights to find me. "Take it easy, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Take care of her."

Giving me an abrupt nod, he walked off with his subordinate following close behind. I left it to Meld to keep Eichirou's patient safe.

I didn't understand why he would choose to help her. Eichirou, I mean. The girl had nothing to do with him, let alone getting back to his world. As far as I can see it, she was just a bother if he would continue sticking up for her. I didn't refute his decision, however. The emotions during that time seemed… desperate at best. I felt that much. When she her condition stabled, I believe what came next was relief?

Why he would feel such for a stranger was beyond me. But it was odd.

I couldn't really get a firm grasp on it with how he things just happened so fast and he just ignored me for most of it. It was an emergency, sure, but did he have to be such a prick about it? The only exception was when he requested I use Appraisal on the poisons for him. Didn't even wait for me to explain. I didn't need to when he could just 'remember' what I found, but it was strange he would just act so… driven. So laser-focused, so to speak.

Even so, the girl was safe. The only problem was the reception to her being saved. I internally groaned at the memory of Deene and that wake-up call a few hours back.

'Did he have to be so loud? I was really enjoying the nap too.' It was also the first time I could enjoy waking up without someone already thinking too deeply early in the day. Eichirou's head was too much of a cluttered mess for me to take. 'I swear, he overthinks too much.' But back to that wake up.

Deene was a loud-mouthed racist. The Kingdom of Heiligh, no, the Church of Saints was completely and utterly racist. That was a problem. At least, Eichirou thought so.

I didn't really get the whole race-differences memo and I don't have anything to remember to draw my own conclusions besides his memories on Earth. If I were to form my own opinion, it would be biased with a reliance on Eichirou's experiences.

Still, racist as rest of the Tortusian humans may be, I had a feeling I could trust Meld to not be.

That wasn't Eichirou's opinion, no. It was my own based on the past month, or less, that I've known him. He wasn't like the rest when it came to his treatment of the girl. Never even so much as spoke out against her or her race. It wasn't that he cared. If anything, it looked like he was indifferent about the whole thing.

But compared to the hateful glares all the others made, he was a saint. Metaphorically speaking anyway.

He may have just done it all out of respect for Eichirou or Anima. Or maybe it was because he needed the girl alive to talk. Either way, it was a godsend (should I even be using this word, considering what brought him, and by proxy, me, to this crazy place?) to have the head honcho NOT going out of their way to get rid of the sleeping kid.

I don't believe I was wrong in suggesting that Eichirou ally with this man against the Pope and his clergy. He isn't blind to pain or suffering and isn't a fool to just accept what his religion throws at him. Eichirou would be blind to not think the same.

"OOOY! EICHIROOOUUUU!"

'Ah, finally!'

Coming from the same direction Meld and Reed left, I spotted familiar faces, four in fact, as they ran towards my spot. The two who kept a slower pace behind them already had their turn to welcome me—well, Eichirou, back to the world of the living. The other four, on the other hand, had to wait in our party's carriage until—wait, why was Kentarou covered in bandages?

"Eichirooouuu!"

"Y-yo, Kentarou!" I dryly greeted back the mummy's exaggerated cry of relief. Tears covered his face, or from what I could see of it under the wrappings. "What's up? New fashion trend—woah! What the…!?"

"Thank god you're alright!" I didn't have time to figure out why he was wrapped up like some soccer mom's cheapskate excuse of a Halloween costume. Nor did I get an answer to my inquiry as he barreled me into a hug, swiftly twirled us around, and then turned to hide behind my back. "Please, help me-e-e-e-e!"

"Eh?" His voice sounding desperate caught my attention, but before I even thought to ask, I got my answer.

"Will you stop crying already, you big baby?" the girl who seemed too have been chasing the guy stopped to cross her arms with a sigh. "Good to see you're alright, Eichirou. We were really worried for a second there."

Something told me they really were. Her tight grip on her own arm, for one. If not, the way their eyes all seemed to rove up and down Eichirou's body.

"Thanks, Ayako," I smiled back to her concern. "Though, can someone explain _this_," I motioned to the weeping Geomancer in the back, "To me?"

"Ayako-san's handiwork." Jugo responded with a wry tone. "While you were out, we took turns defending the caravan but encountered a little problem when we got ambushed. No serious problems, mind you." He must've included that in case I—Eichirou, was worried. I wasn't at all though. Had something happened, either Hajime or Kousuke would've told me already. "Although, Ayako would've been had Kentarou not jumped in to save her—"

"He didn't save me! That idiot just hurt himself!" interrupted said girl who was saved. Her flushed embarrassment was pretty telling, however. "I only tried helping to patch his wounds. That's all."

"Still doesn't explain why he's a walking roll of gauze." She flinched at that, shoulder stiffening as the girl averted her gaze away from mine. "Don't tell me Kentarou was so injured he needed to be teepeed. He looks like he's being readied for a burial."

"It's his own fault for not sitting still!" she finally shrieked back.

I turned to get an answer from the victim that quaked from her voice behind me. When he simply shook his head and stared off into space like a Vietnam veteran, I got even more curious. 'Seriously, what the hell happened?'

"Why don't we walk and talk, Yamamoto-kun?" Yoshino broke the quiet, wearing a truly devilish smile wider than I had ever seen her. "It's a very amusing story. I guarantee it."

"NO, IT'S NOT!" Argued the one using me as a human shield. His apparent oppressor huffing away, indignant of Kentarou's treatment of her apparent help.

I just sighed, taking it all in stride as Eichirou would've. 'Not like I can do much else.' He still isn't waking, despite how loud his party was getting, and I had no way of rousing him up.

This… connection we shared seemed simple enough. I can tell what he's thinking or remember things he did. As well as vice versa. I could feel him there, but he wasn't conscious. Sighing to myself, I took my blessings for what they were.

'It's not like he didn't want to get some rest in the first place.'

Eichirou had been complaining about stress and whatnot. So why bother him when he was getting just that? As the saying in his world went, 'best not to look a gift horse in the mouth'.

"Well, we have time before Meld needs me anyway." I smiled, acting as he would but with the intent of enjoying every minute I could with a body to call my own, if only temporarily. "Let's go?"

With a nod from them all, I, as Mia, breathed in the fresh air of the Labyrinth town and, as Eichirou, took the lead.

'I'm gonna enjoy the rest of this day as much as I can. I can feel it.'

* * *

'Today was going to be fun...' That was a statement Ayako opened her day with.

Partly a lie, as when she awoke this morning, her first thoughts were the irritation of sleeping in the outdoors. Her second was for the concern of her still-unconscious party leader and friend. Her third was the sudden shock of meeting Kentarou as he made to do his early morning stretches. All the while, topless.

Yes. Her wish for the day was overturned just like that. By a nude idiot flexing like the idiot he was. But that wasn't the only thing that got on her nerves right now.

It was supposed to be a comforting day after their monster-riddled, non-modern-camping, rickety-carriage-seating excursion. Here, they were to rest, relax, and all that. No more bugs, no more cold air, no more monsters, and definitely no more carriages. Her want for a mount partially involved a desire to not sit on a stiff, rumbling wooden box. And that wasn't even allowed to her as Eichirou's horse, as well as the others' own, stubbornly refused to even let her close.

'It's not fair!' she mentally exclaimed. But with the trip gone by and they at a town they could actually get a room to sleep in, she might as well count her blessings than complain, no? 'I guess I should just ask if I can ride them on the way back.'

That being said, she still couldn't enjoy today, despite being here. Why not enjoy a tour of the town, a good meal, a bath, and even a bed to sleep on after all those days in a tent? Shouldn't she be able to do so after going through all that?

Yes, she should.

But nooooooo… Something had to ruin it. Something else had to get on her nerves on this day specifically. As for what it was, he was laughing his ass off like a buffoon.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh god," he wiped a tear from his eye as he hugged Kentarou close. "I never thought you'd actually get traumatized from a medical responder, Kentarou!"

Or like a child. Either way, it was pissing her off.

"She… just wouldn't… stop…" the wimpy idiot next to him shuddered. "No matter… what I said… she just… kept… on… trying…"

"Ahahah!"

'Did he have to be so dramatic? And why the hell are you still laughing?!' Ayako thought to herself with a huff. 'And here I tried to be nice! Why are boys such jerks?!'

She wouldn't admit to being remotely sorry. Not publicly though. She really did try her best to patch him up. But, in the end, Nomura Kentarou ended up with more bruises than the one he got getting her out of that monster's path.

'I don't get it! The first-aid instructions said to compress a bruise to treat it. I did that! What am I doing wrong?!'

She wouldn't know the answer to that. For now at least.

As they kept moving on to newer sights, the number of people only grew. And the raucous laughter wasn't helping, especially since their recently awoken leader acted like the audience didn't matter at all.

"Hahahah! Aaahhh… No worries, Kentarou-kun." Calming his amusement down slightly, the second jerk spoke to the first while pretend-wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'll heal you up when we return to the inn. You don't have to try too hard to be Imhotep anymore."

Somehow, that triggered the Priest girl. It had been her responsibility to maintain a fully-healed team. Regardless of the constraint of being limited to just medicinal supplies on the trip, she now had free reign to use her healing magic. But the fact that the one who knocked himself out by pushing his own magic limits was trying to take that from her… … Ayako wouldn't say she was jealous, but it just didn't sit right with the girl for her only role in the team to be taken away.

Helpful as she tried to be, Ayako was very aware of her deficiency in healing magic. Now realizing that even basic first aid wasn't even in her repertoire, how exactly could she fulfill her duty as their Priest?

'Kaori-chan's one too… … but I'm nowhere near her level… … …'

"Yamamoto-kun, that's rude, you know?"

"Hm? What is, Yoshino-kun?"

"You shouldn't take do that to Aya-chan. It would be rude for you to just take Nomura-kun away—I mean, take away Aya-chan's chance to right her wrongs with Nomura-kun!" The girl argued with what would've been a cute pout had Ayako not suspected an underlying agenda to her choice of words. "Nomura-kun risked himself for Aya-chan. It's her responsibility to pay him back in kind. Getting between the two, that's just insensitive."

'What is this girl saying?' would've been the first words out her mouth in response to that statement, but Mao wasn't alone.

"Ara, ara, is that so?" Dramatically gasping, Eichirou made to bow to her in apology immediately. "I'm sorry to have intruded. I didn't mean to be a homewrecker—ahem, I mean, I didn't mean to take away your chance to properly pay back Kentarou-kun for that." This jackass had the gall to flash her a wink. "Yosh! As Yoshino-kun says, it would indeed be rude of me. As your leader and a gentleman, I leave him in your… gracious hands, Ayako-san."

She didn't miss the snort coming from the back of their group and promised vengeance on whoever it was. Even Jugo's size wouldn't deter her fury.

"Sorry, Kentarou-kun." Eichirou continued with a teasing smile. "Looks like I can't save—, I mean, help you out after all."

But she did not get angry. Turning away, Ayako instead scoffed as she avoided acknowledging their exchange. She didn't want to rise to the obvious bait. Not even when the mummy made to beg, latching onto Eichirou's coat with pleading eyes.

"No… please…!"

"Sorry, man." Eichirou shook his head while smirking. "But a gentleman has to respect a woman's… well, boundaries."

"Hmph, whatever…" Ayako didn't bother retorting further. 'Stupid boys…'

While she did want to heal him as thanks, she didn't want to do so with the feelings they kept implying she had. She was grateful, not falling head over heels for him. So instead, she kept silent. Even as Mao-chan walked next to her apologizing with her eyes… 'No, not even with that airheaded, puppy-like expression! I'm not forgiving you that easily!'

She'd had enough time getting used to her anger during her… tussle with Nomura Kentarou's injuries. Anymore teasing, pleading, or subtle hints wouldn't so much as antagonize her now!

.

.

.

Okay, maybe she would forgive her airheaded best friend. They were besties. But only her! It still stung that the boy didn't appreciate the effort she put into trying to help. Maybe it was due to the supplemental injuries she gave him, but still.

'I even said I was sorry too…'

"Well, all that aside, what do you guys think of Horaud?" Hajime, changing the subject with nervous chuckles, made to look around. "Seems pretty… busy."

That was one way of putting it. In their wandering, they had arrived in a kind of marketplace.

"Delicious meat! Come get your meat skewers here!" "Vegetables! Brand new deliveries from Ur!" "Lowered prices only for today!" "Fish! Fresh fish for sale!"

Stalls as far as the eye can see. And that was no exaggeration either. From the street they came out of all the way to the walled-off area near the mouth of what appeared to be the Labyrinth entrance, food and clothing to weapons and armors were being sold. Most of the latter was sold nearer to the Labyrinth.

"Welp, what do we do now?"

"Eh?"

Normally the most decisive of their bunch, Eichirou's question caught her off guard. But as he kept an excited smile, it seemed to her that he just couldn't pick what to do first and was fine letting them choose whatever the group would. With how obviously excited he was, he would probably be enjoying it no matter what they picked anyway. Ayako thought it was a bit childish coming from the normally composed guy.

Then again, he had been like that ever since he woke up, so maybe he hit his head a little too hard. That or the hardwood carriage floor knocked his brain one too many times on the trip.

"Let's check on the stalls for now," curiously, it was Jugo who spoke up. A glint in his eye told them all that he seemed to be interested in the wares. "No harm in seeing what they're offering."

"We are at the marketplace," Ayako hummed. "Might as well."

"We also have some money from the monster parts the Knight Order sold off to the Merchant Guild." The clinking of coins as he handed them each a sack served as ample proof. "Here's you shares from the fights. I had Alan-san split it up equally for each of us. Unless you guys have any complaints, that is?"

"Nope," Ayako said as she pocketed the sack in her belt's pouch.

"None." "Same." "Do we even need to buy anything?" "I hope this is enough for some ingots."

The responses came from Endou, Mao-chan, Kentarou, the idiot had thankfully stopped mumbling pained whines, and Hajime respectively as they accepted their shares.

Personally, Ayako didn't care much for it at all. Getting paid for killing those things is nice, but she never did it for monetary gain anyway. The others seemed to share the sentiment and just accepted the sacks without much of a fuss.

The sole exception was, of course, Eichirou who received his sack with a bemused head-tilt.

"Are you guys sure about this? I was out for most of the time and didn't do much to help, though."

His question was expected. Ayako herself would feel guilty for accepting free money, if only briefly. But it was the way he asked it that had her wincing. He was like a child with the way his voice sounded reluctant but eyes glinted with eagerness. Quite the distinct mannerism from his usual passivity.

"If you don't want it, I'll gladly take—Geh!" Kousuke shut his trap almost immediately. Rubbing his side, Ayako noticed that Hajime was responsible for silencing the Assassin.

"Maa, if it wasn't for Eichirou-kun's training, I doubted we would've held out against all those enemies. And besides, your advice on getting them all with traps before engaging head on netted us more kills than the other parties."

"Nagayama-kun's right, Yamamoto-kun. You helped us out long before we even saw the first monster. So go ahead and keep the money. You earned it for being a dedicated sensei and trainer."

With even Mao-chan giving her two cents, he could only balk. A wide smile slowly crept up on the guy's face.

"Ah—ahem. Well, if that's the case, I'll graciously accept it then. Thanks… But could you please not call me that out here? Someone might overhear."

"What's the matter? Afraid of getting new students."

"Ahem, yeah… sounds about right…" He'd coughed, composed himself and politely nodded.

'Ah, right. He doesn't like being addressed like that.' Not when he had a lot of troubling students, one who was four to five times his own age back at the palace already. But neither Ayako nor the rest missed the rare juvenile smile from the usually-mature guy. 'Heeeh, so he has this side of him too. How cute—No! Stop it!'

She immediately retracted that statement as she reminded herself that this innocent display belied his teasing nature. Mature as his usual side was, it had done far more to embarrass her than anyone else. Well, besides Mao-chan's airheaded approach to her woes. Still, she wouldn't allow this new side of his to excuse his crimes against her. Minor as they may be to some, Ayako's feelings were somewhat hurt. That and she was annoyed he would keep up the insinuation of feelings between her and Bakamura.

Eichirou wouldn't be getting full amnesty anytime soon, near death survival or not.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Pocketing his share, Eichirou smiled wide and led the way eagerly, much to her and the others' surprise.

Ayako's feelings aside, the marketplace's options were all over the place. As they toured the place, more and more shopkeepers seemed to call out for their attention. She didn't think it was their status as Apostles, however. As they had broken off from the rest of the group, the obnoxious priest wasn't around to scold any solicitors. The nicely armored Hero wasn't there to draw attention and they didn't have any knights escorting them either. Any indication as to their identities was nil.

That didn't stop the people nearby from any attempts to sell their goods.

"Adventurer-san! Come try some of my skewers! I guarantee they taste better than anything you've eaten outside the capitol!" "Hey, missy, if you're a mage, this cloak will do you nicely! It has mana retention properties and—" "Oy, that warrior-san over there! I have some plates that'll suit ya! Not too heavy but can block a Thundursa claw! I guarantee its durability! Oy, over here!"

"They're really getting into it, aren't they?" Eichirou led the way, rushing ahead of them along with Hajime to pause and observe every stall they passed by. Ayako could swear he was skipping, but maybe he just felt the need to stretch his legs. Even she was tempted to do so after all that riding. Well, it didn't really matter. It certainly didn't affect his eager interest in the place. "Customers aren't so sparse, but they're trying their best to get _us_ to do business."

"They are, aren't they?" Mao looked just as excited if a little more reserved than the eager boys. "Look, Aya-chan! They even sell accessories out here!"

Following her best friend's gaze, she noted that they more than sold them. A few shopkeeps had what appeared to be apprentices or subordinates nearby delivering more wares. Curiously, some even assembled them behind the counter. Peering close, Ayako noted the cute gemstone-laden hairpins on display, hand subconsciously toucher the one holding her bangs back.

"You gonna buy one, Aya-chan?"

"Not now." To the disappointment of the hopeful vendor, Ayako shook her head and retracted the finger tracing her hairpin. But as she noted the disappointed young girl who seemed to be the stall's apprentice, she added. "Maybe later. We know where to look when we want to buy one anyways."

The girl seemed to smile a little as they moved on. The shopkeep on the other hand spared her a formal smile and a nod. Ayako understood that the man didn't like the fact there was a chance she wouldn't come back at all, but he couldn't be rude to a potential customer so she merely nodded back as they passed along.

"That man earlier, was he calling _us_ 'adventurers'?" Kentarou mumbled from under his bandages as they passed more shops. The ones she had tightly wrapped around his forehead had come lose and turned into a scarf. A testament to her lack of care and attention to the practice. But another thought crossed her mind.

'That idiot! Why didn't he tell me I used too much gauze? Did he let me do it on purpose just to embarrass me?!'

"He did," Hajime said, answering not Ayako's question as he looked around the place. He'd been taking in the scenery's details just as much if not more excitedly than Eichirou had. Ayako dismissed it as this just being an otaku's wet dream. He'd even been looming over a few stalls to see what else they sold besides those on display. "It's probably our gear. We probably resemble the Adventurers that all come here to take crack at the Labyrinth."

By 'Labyrinth', he meant the giant gaping hole dug into the side of the mountain just down the street. Ayako had heard about what lurked within. They'd been briefed on their objective before leaving the capitol, so she knew what it was all for. That they were essentially fighting monsters in tighter spaces didn't give off the most fun expectations. But as it was for their benefit through growing stronger, and by proxy strengthening the kingdom's war assets to fight off the demons, it didn't leave much room to argue. Risky prospect, she would agree. Especially since their trip resulted in one casualty already.

As for the comparison to 'adventurers', it wasn't far off. Leather coats and pants with sturdy combat boots here and there. They had their artifacts, rods and swords, all strapped tightly to their belts. The sole exceptions to their group being Jugo for wearing full armor and his shield and sword on his back with Mao-chan and Eichirou both unarmed. Speaking of which…

"Nee, Eichirou. Where's your spear?"

While she knew that her best friend was a mage that only needed a few slips of paper and her unique artifact, a pendant, Ayako wondered why their leader, so brave and gallant as to face down a Dire Alpha solo, didn't have any weapon on him at all. She didn't believe that 'pacifism' crap he spouted all the time back at the palace as she knew he could fight. It's just that he didn't want to.

Being unarmed in a world that had things as deadly as the ones they fought and killed? You'd think he'd learn and remember to bring his preferred weapon.

"I left it back with the rest of my gear," he nonchalantly replied, not even paying attention as he ogled a nearby clothing stall. "Since we're in town, I didn't think I'd need it. And besides, it's too long and cumbersome for me to carry around wherever I go. Not like I'm used to being armed all day long anyway."

'Hmm, he's got a point.' The town's walls had guards all over. There were patrols occasionally coming by every now and then. It was practically safe to not have a weapon right now. As for the 'not used to being armed', she was of the same mindset. Even now, her short rod hung uncomfortably on her side.

In any case, she thought everyone else in the plaza besides them were the weirdos.

'There really are people who fought monsters in a hole for a living, weren't there?'

With her eyes roving the area, Ayako could spot all kinds of 'adventurers'. Some, like them, wore simple leather gear, a few armor plates here and there, with different weapons either strapped to their back or waist belt. Ranging from swords to hammers, no sense of uniformity could be seen at all.

Others didn't wear leather. Or rather, Ayako couldn't tell what they wore under all that metal. Initially, she thought the well-armored man was some kind of knight without a helmet but decided she was wrong as soon as one of the militiamen began sternly warning them for harassing some group of girls. The fact that he seemed to not care for authority and continued to harass the women when the patrolman left reinforced the fact.

No knight from the order was as undisciplined as that guy. If any of them were around, they'd probably arrest him. Luckily, he was distracted by some kid, allowing the harassment victims to leave peacefully before they all disappeared from her periphery.

'Not really the bunch you'd leave to hunting monsters for you…' Ayako frowned upon seeing the possibility that the man might even abandon the people as soon as he realized he wouldn't be able to get out unscathed.

But unruly as that one guy was, she didn't want to assume all adventurers were like that. She'd heard that they were the profession that took on a regulated form of mercenary work but not much more than monster killing or material gathering. In fact, hardly anyone did more than that, if the knights and Meld's talks about them to the group were anything to go by. They were on the lawful side of the mercenary trade, or so she'd heard but found hard to believe.

'Not reassuring when _that_ is the most lawful they could be…'

Not bad as to turn on you if you paid too little, but certainly not dependable enough to stand and fight if the odds were against them. She wasn't naïve to think they would be loyal to a country either. 'Law-abiding' as they may claim to be, still doesn't mean they're all perfect apples.

At the very least, she knew her party members weren't as fickle.

Scanning around further, she noticed there were other kinds. All ages too. She watched a kid no younger than a middle schooler strode by with a giant sword about twice his width strapped onto his back. He didn't even looked fazed by the weight as he happily continued eating some fruit alongside companions that could easily be his older siblings or parents if they didn't think to ask. The one leading them might also have been his grandfather, but she stopped staring.

Ayako severely doubted any parent, or grandparent for that matter, was sane for letting their child follow this line of work, let alone lead them down that path.

Men and women alike, all armed in one way or another waltzed around like it was an everyday affair. The bizarre sight all too difficult for her, a normal Japanese teenager, to ignore.

'Feels like a cosplay convention or something,' she kept the thought to herself. She knew the others were thinking the same if their wandering expressions were anything to go by. Their eyes all simultaneously squinting as a skimpily armored woman, probably in her late-twenties or early thirties, crossed the street with a few other men merrily following after her. Ayako would've called out a warning, but then again, she considered whether that woman would even dare strip down that much protective covering if she wasn't confident in being able to handle the danger by herself.

Still ridiculous though. Ayako would never get caught dead wearing such an outfit. No matter how anyone would reason out that its protection rating increases by wearing less. She absolutely wouldn't dare pick up such a… lecherous attire. She would rather commit suicide. Okay, not really, but still.

She certainly did get the urge to kill a certain someone when he continued ogling the bikini-armored woman, going so far as to crane his neck that the gauze scarf turned into a necklace, revealing his reddened yet interested expression.

'God help me, I will strangle him if he doesn't—!' Ayako shook her head. 'No! Stop it! What he does doesn't concern you.' Pinching herself to snap out of it, she continued along, following Eichirou's pace as he skirted the stalls, eagerly browsing. That didn't stop her from sending back glances though. She tried not to think of the relief she felt when Kentarou stopped staring to pull up and hide his face in her bandage— 'Oh! Shut up! Don't think about something stupid, stupid!'

"Aya-chan, something wrong?"

"Hm?" Ayako directed a stiff smile at the girl. "Oh, it's nothing, Mao-chan."

"Eeeh? But earlier, you were looking intensely at—"

"Nothing." She repeated. Face leaning over to obstruct the Invoker's vision anything else. "Nothing at all."

"Aya-chan, if you keep leaning like that, I won't be able to see anything but your forehead… Okay, you weren't doing anything! My mistake. Eheheh…"

Stiff as the airhead's reply was, Ayako gratefully took it. Even as she felt the jerk's eyes on her, she didn't react to it. Nor did she like it.

She didn't blush red again.

Not. At. All.

Their tour continued along for a while. A few stalls caught their interest but not warranting much else. Didn't take long for one of them to start voicing complaints. Surprisingly, it wasn't the excited jerk, the eager nerd, the pain-in-the-ass or even Jugo and Mao to break first.

"It's getting louder," Kousuke noticeably had his ears covered as he walked next to Eichirou. "So noisy…"

"What's the matter, Kousuke? Not used to so many people bumping into your invisible self?"

She no doubt knew said invisible boy was staring daggers at Eichirou.

"That's because we're on the main road. This is the area with the most foot traffic." Jugo's attention remained dead ahead as they walked, but Ayako could see him interestedly looking at a few stalls they passed by. None of them included any armorer or weapons store. Mostly grocers and meat vendors. "It's not really too far off to call it the busiest in the area."

And the busiest it was. Even if they didn't approach the stalls that called them out, there were half a dozen to tens of people already browsing their wares each. Mostly adventurers looking at weapons and gear around this area. With a pathway that could fit two horse-drawn carriages next to each other, it was no surprise the road was packed full of potential customers. From old-timer veterans to cheaply-armored beginners. Food, weapons or clothes, there really didn't seem like a lack for anything an adventurer would need here.

"Can't we find a quieter place? It's getting too noisy for my taste."

None disagreed, though Eichirou did look a bit disappointed that they didn't get to reach the end of the main road. That bit was the loudest, considering it was the exit of the plaza and near the entrance to the Labyrinth.

Taking a slight detour, their selected path was narrower but had more options. On one side, there were still mostly food. But on the other, there were wood carvings and leatherworks. Simple furniture and containers arrayed in rows. Even clothes and linen rolls were neatly lined up next to other refined handiworks. Down along the path, she noted that there were also rows of ore stalls that sold various metals and jewels next to costume kiosks with fancy-looking clothing folded neatly atop their counters.

Admiring a few of the dresses, Ayako had to restrain herself from approaching. She didn't want to get their hopes up and she didn't really need a new attire. Still, it couldn't help to look closer, right?

No one answered her, of course. But the same hesitation couldn't be said to have occurred to Eichirou. He just waltzed over to each stall, gave their fanciest ones a quick look up and down, then quickly moved over to the next. The number of annoyed and disappointed faces he caused, and received, didn't even seem to bother him.

Ayako sighed deeply before shaking her head in silent disapproval. 'Here I am, trying to not be a bother, but there he goes just doing what he wants…' She was too dumbstruck and annoyed to even notice her leader was giving women's attire just as much attention as he did the men's.

"Hmm, I'm kind of disappointed," Jugo's sighing broke the silence, suddenly called their attention.

"What's up, Nagayama-kun?" Ayako, attention from the non-food section drawn away, spared a glance as her best friend asked aloud with airheaded curiosity. "Something catch your eye?"

"Quite the opposite, really. Their ingredients don't look all that fresh." The big guy sighed again. "I thought that if it was in a business center as populated as this town, there would be something good to buy. Some local vegetables or maybe fruits..."

"Are you planning on cooking again tonight?"

"Oh? Gochin, how about we have ribs this time?" She couldn't look at Kentarou in the eye. Or even _at _him specifically for fear of… nevermind that! But when he mentioned meat, Ayako stalled. Her mouth began watering a little before she snapped out of it and turned away. She couldn't stop from listening in though.

"I don't know about ribs. The boar meat we hunted should be good, but we ran out already. As for other ingredients, that may be a little…"

"Ah… That's right. Nagayama-kun's knowledge of local ingredients is limited." Mao-chan sighed, deflated. "If only we can find a place that sold a cookbook."

"That'll be in a store. Not out here in the marketplace."

"That's why I'm looking around. But…," Jugo smiled as Kousuke flatly pointed out but frowned as soon as he added. "Looks like we'll have to look for a dedicated bookstore somewhere else. It's a shame, but if I had one now, budgeting the cost for ingredients would've been easier. Not sure how much books cost, but with these prices, I might've been able to prepare something for dinner."

"Aren't we staying at an inn though?" Ayako asked. She wasn't against eating some familiar Earth recipes. In fact, she wanted to taste some even if she had to give back her share of the money for ingredients. They had the time as well. She could wait if they had to experiment all night long to get it right. But she wasn't about to let them see her shameless side so kept an indifferent look, she did.

At least, she tried her hardest to do just that.

"I was wondering if I could ask the innkeeper if I could borrow their kitchen." Jugo shrugged "After getting a chance to cooking something again in a while, working at a proper kitchen's got me excited."

Ayako hummed. While she didn't like conceding to have lost to Nagayama Jugo of all people in the kitchen, she was impressed with the big guy's dedication to his hobby. Not very often you could find a guy proficient in the kitchen after all.

"Think they'll let you, Gochin?"

"They probably will. We're all Apostles to them anyway."

"That's abuse of power, Kousuke-kun."

"What's the point in it if we don't use it every now and then, Hajime?"

As the boys bantered on, Ayako sighed to herself. She did feel a little cheated that Jugo could make a mean barbecue roast with only their hunting target and a few recommended ingredients by the other travelers. His Earth-style Tortusian boar BBQ more than impressed the knights and knocked the socks off their travel companions. Women were swooning and children praised his name like he was some kind of deity to have blessed their taste buds with Nirvana. Ayako will never forget the near festival they held that time.

That in and of itself was something to enjoy or praise him for. But she felt a bit disappointed. Not in the food, and certainly not in her friend. Just in herself for not being able to do similar just as well.

'Maybe if Eichirou wasn't called by an informal title yet, they'd be calling Jugo the Cooking Saint or Holy Chef.' Shaking her head, she stifled a chuckle at her own little joke. A brief respite from her dreary thoughts. 'I shouldn't be so depressed about it. Jugo's talents are something he put his own efforts to honing.'

Having hungrily devoured his cooking throughout the latter half of their trip here, Ayako, as well as the rest of the class, received a figurative punch to the gut that said Jugo's hidden talent as a cook was the real deal. And his humble nature didn't hide how he was relieved he was at their enjoyment. Despite being so nonchalant, she could tell, be it intuition or just how he smiled warmly when they ate his cooking, he was relieved they enjoyed it and she would be damned for anyone to say otherwise.

If their tongues didn't convince anyone, then maybe that little Apostle Chef fanclub would.

The middle-aged women that they travelled with ever since the capitol had more than just compliments for his talent. Some even propositioned their daughters, promising a marriage interview as soon as they got to Horaud. A clever tactic to secure the booty that was Jugo's cooking.

Hell, as some had no children to give, more than a handful of the single ladies propositioned _themselves_.

Only through the combined efforts of the priest, Deene Ambrogio, and there strict, well-meaning Ai-chan-sensei did the old-faced teenager avoid getting married off at the age of seventeen in another world.

'What do you know? Those two _can_ cooperate,' she giggled at the thought, considering what Ai-chan had to put up with for most of the week.

It was too bad they couldn't come to a consensus when it came to that girl they saved. The one she managed to treat, even with her poor healing ability. But other than that little niggling complex of hers, another thought came to mind.

'Something like arranged marriage could actually happen, huh... Well, it's another world. I shouldn't really be all that surprised.' It happens in Japan as well. Not that she ever knew anyone was. Her family was on the progressive end of the spectrum when it came to these things so she never thought about it. 'If it's about marriage, I'd rather be able to choose…'

Not that she had any options in mind as of late. She didn't. Absolutely not. 'Why is this an issue?!' She realized her mind had wandered too far. 'Moving on!'

"Eh, Jugo-kun, you can cook?" Cutting through her musings, and sudden urge to hide her head, there was one who sounded so shocked that Ayako's mind cleared. Perking up from his locked interest in a nearby weaver's silks, Eichirou's face was one of childish interest and noticeable confusion all at once. "Since when?!"

"Eh? Ah, that's right. Eichin was out the entire time."

"True, Yamamoto-kun missed out on Nagayama-kun's delicious meat. Ah, mou. I really want to have another taste…"

"Mao-chan, context!" The girl stuck her tongue out with another 'Teehee, sorry!' before Ayako turned her attention to the indignant expression from their leader. Responding to the curiosity in his eyes, she answered his query. "Jugo started cooking around halfway through our journey. Good thing too. The rations Meld and the knights prepared were all starting to make us sick. Surprisingly, it was really, really good." Noting the boy's gawked watering mouth, she added. "Sadly, since you knocked yourself out last week and only woke up after we ate lunch a while ago, you missed your chance… Are? Now that I think about it, you really did missed out on a lot. Besides the food, too."

He missed out on their initial shock and panic, Ai-chan's attempts and pleading to go back or get help. Not to mention, all the monster encounters they had on their plates come their turn for defending the caravan or hunting out in the wild.

The fights weren't exactly hard but adapting for the lack of one member became a slight issue. They were used to someone barking orders from all their training sessions, but when it came to just them, it was a silence contest. No one could command. At least, not as effectively.

Hajime was out as he didn't seem to like giving orders. He only took lead during the one time since he had the right plan and magic contraption for that debacle.

'To think he would replicate military hardware using magic.' Ayako still shuddered from the mana strain it cost her to maintain a cylindrical, airtight barrier to maintain the mortar shell's propulsion system. After the bone-mending, she had been pretty much spent and relied on mana potions given to her by their Synergist. 'How the hell does he put up with that headache? Drinking a mana potion recovered mana, sure. But what the hell kind of resilience does he have to not get sick of doing it over and over?!'

Shaking her head, Ayako gave the otaku a point for one-upping her in terms of mental fortitude. She wasn't so arrogant as to belittle someone who had inferior magic stats but put more work putting up with the strain she felt.

But all that effort wouldn't make Hajime the perfect leader, at least for now. Should he focus in that field of study, then maybe. His follow issue was his low self-confidence. No way can someone too shy to give orders ever be in command.

As for the others, well, they were lacking in their own ways.

Ayako herself didn't understand how to strategize. She knew what not to do as a Priest, like getting in the way and keeping an eye on her allies' situation. Adapting between healing and protecting was her job, only the latter of which she actually was adequately capable. But all her knowledge were focused on her own and role class as a defensive support mage.

She didn't know any other way to help, much less how the others should do their own jobs.

Mao was in the same boat with the added demerit of needing to chant longer for her spells. An Invoker was an all-rounder mage with a penchant for utility besides raw power. As far as she understood though, that didn't mean she could just use her spells willy-nilly. The high versatility was balanced out by her, as Eichirou and Hajime called it in training, 'long cooldown periods' in between casting spells. Why it was called so, she didn't know. Probably a game reference or something. This may have given her the chance to be able to command, but then again, she was a ditz.

Ayako wouldn't sugar coat this if her friend's life was on the line. She'd rather volunteer than let Mao-chan hurt herself via airhead decision-making.

The rest of the boys were no different.

Jugo was a frontline tank. Muscular and hard to push back as the role required it, he was actually the careful type that watched for opportunities rather than haphazardly charging in, like some people, namely the idiot. Cautious as he may be though, he couldn't see the entire battlefield. At best, they could set a game plan before a fight but not alter or adapt on the fly should they come across any issues.

If he was too busy focusing on the enemy before him or protecting them behind, Jugo wouldn't be able to direct them mid-combat.

Kentarou was an idiot who didn't even consider his class for his role so Ayako automatically disqualified him for the position of leader. 'I mean, where have you heard of a mage insisting to get into melee range, at the same time, doesn't think twice about jumping in front of the enemy?' Sure, he 'saved' her, but hurting himself in the process was desperation at best, stupid boys with stupid bravado at worst.

Ayako appreciated the thought but was still a bit annoyed none of the others spoke out against his recklessness. 'Just because he was a guy didn't automatically mean he should take the front! That idiocy could get him killed. The idiot jerk doesn't understand just how squishy his stats make him.'

Why Ayako had taken the Geomancer's stats to account, or even knew it, was anyone's guess, but if anyone had noticed, they kept quiet.

"That's not fair. Now I'm curious!" Back to Eichirou, he was pretty much staring at them incredulously. Curiously, he had a hand to his stomach. Had Ayako tried to listen harder, however, the audible rumbling of a gut could've been heard amidst the marketplace's ambience. "And hungry! How could you mention food knowing I haven't eaten in a week?!"

"Eichin, come on. You can't blame us for not feeding you when we tried so hard to wake you up."

"That's right. Nomura-kun tried his hardest to shake you awake that Aya-chan had to tie him up with his bed for two days. He wouldn't stay calm unless Aya-chan was there to sit him down. Or sit on him, I didn't really get it~~~!"

"Oy! Yoshino! You don't need to tell him that!"

"Eh? Is that sooo~~~?!"

It seems that while Ayako was deep in thought, Kentarou and Mao went on to proclaim the deliciousness of Chef Nagayama's talent. Exaggerated lip-smacking included. The lead up bringing them to Mao turning against her teasing ally. Ayako could only massage her temple, irritated that she had been brought up in their antics. Embarrassed as Bakamura was at being reminded of the incident, she didn't want to remember it. Of course, it was due to some parts in the story being quite literal.

She did sit on him while tied down but that was beyond the point. He didn't want to shut up and everyone else losing sleep during a stressful evening wasn't worth the embarrassment. Should Eichirou, or anyone else for that matter, ask if Ayako did sit on him, she will never admit to it. Not that she ever did as it never happened.

Ever.

As for Eichirou's reaction to the two, he just glared back bitterly as a child would. Ayako wondered if he was ignoring their latter banter and focused only on his missing the food. Like they had the audacity to not invite him to taste Jugo's meals. He even looked about to pout and proclaim that he was supposed to be their leader and friend. Or maybe that was just what Ayako thought he would do, seeing his behavior for the past hour.

Anyhow, Ayako wasn't feeling at all regretful for the immature teasing. To be fair, they did _try_ to wake him up. Kentarou's shouting, loud noises, Kousuke even got the idea to strap his foot to a horse and slap the steed in the rear to rile it up. It was all to no avail. They didn't go with that last idea of course. But considering he'd always have something to say that got on her nerves, it was almost carried out had Jugo and Hajime not stopped them. Ayako and Kentarou had been like-minded for once too.

But then again, teasing the hungry boy would have to do. He'd just nearly died after all so they couldn't resort to something too extreme. Ayako winced slightly before she shook away the heavy feeling culminating deep within. 'Ah, the tables turning feels all too deserved.'

"Maa, Eichirou-kun's hunger aside, his being out of commission didn't really change all that much, now that I think about it." Hajime said as he squatted down nearby to observe a stall's wares. Picking up a crystal-looking ore, colored crimson and the size of two fists, the Synergist indifferently added. "We still had to act as a party on Meld-san's orders after all. But doing it as a six-man team wasn't really all that hard, was it?"

Ayako didn't miss the smirk he sent them over his shoulder.

"Eh, Hajime—?" Eichirou balked at the unspoken implication but was interrupted.

"Now that you mention it, I don't think we ever needed his help to begin with." Ayako watched triumphantly as the usual teaser tensed under her words. Sending the same smirk Hajime made to the rest, she continued. "After the first day, it was mostly a breeze. The giant snakes and bears weren't much trouble. Even the Dires couldn't hold up half as much as they troubled us during that time."

"Heh, that's true. We just used ambush and trapping tactics based on Eichin's suggestions during training." Seeing the grin under his bandages, Ayako knew the idiot caught on as well. "Besides that, we didn't really do or need much else."

"Oy."

"Guys, I don't think you should—"

"That's right!" Jugo couldn't even get a word in as Mao absentmindedly merrily chimed in, stomping on their leader's hopes for an ally. "Besides the solution to all our problems being really obvious, we even have Nagayama-kun to remember all that. He's even prepared his own notes for the future. Now that I think about it, do we even need Yamamoto-kun now that we know he'll just fold like paper?"

"KORA!"

With Mao-chan adding oil to the fire, Mount Yamamoto's incensed expression looked just about ready to burst. As far as she knew, this was the furthest they had ever gotten a reaction out of him when teasing. The second being comebacks that would either annoy them or an indifferent shrug. Ayako wanted to do just as the three were. But having already poked him about the meal and indirectly instigating their fun, she had nothing else to fire back with.

"Looks like you're no longer needed in the party." Tapping him on the shoulder, the Assassin that appeared from the shadows wore the biggest smirk he ever showed them. "Feel free to resign, 'leader'."

They all shared a group chuckle as Eichirou stared back at them. Mouth agape, opening and closing like a fish out of water. Being able to get back at Eichirou for his usual teasing was cathartic in a sense. Now that they managed to even get him to pout and stalk away angrily in silence, they were all able to relax.

.

Overwhelming relief replaced the unpublicized fear.

Their raucous laughter for their unspoken worry.

Their friend was going to be fine.

.

With that much reaction from a small joke, it was proof enough that he wasn't gone. They, all of them, had been worried sick for his wellbeing. Hajime had assured them he would be alright, having gone through a mana-exhaustion coma as well not too long ago. But as the hours turned to days, and Eichirou refused to so much as budge in his sleep, it wasn't long for even the otaku to get antsy.

It would've been an understatement to say that they all started to panic.

How couldn't they when, as a class, they had faced off a horde of monsters and survived. All the while, their friend got ambushed by one and nearly died serving as a distraction for the others?

Death wasn't a foreign concept to any of the teenagers. Their world was peaceful, but they weren't that ignorant. They knew they were going to die someday. But to have one of their own come so close as to have metaphorically tussled with it? And all because they had been careless and let one beast slip past their guard? They had essentially nearly allowed him to die. Alone at that.

What else could they do but blame themselves for being careless?

The one lesson Eichirou had insisted they learn first was to exercise extreme caution. To never underestimate their opponent. To never mistake victory without absolute certainty in the fact. He'd shown them through training. When they had free time to themselves, they'd get together and compare notes. He with his magic, and they with what they'd learn from the knights and court mages. Quick spars and debates here and there to test out and come closer together as a team were common. But Eichirou always made it a fact to emphasize caution and to never assume the best. His reasons were obvious.

They weren't on Earth anymore.

No one would come to save them as they would back in their world. Pick a fight with someone and they might draw a sword. Get lost and you might as well be dead with all the monsters roaming about. Should they get caught unawares, even the smallest of scratches could become infected by a deadly incurable poison.

The pleap fruits were a prime example. Like an apple, it was served as simply that. Fruit. Unassumingly sweet but deadlier than any found on Earth. Luck was on their side for having the stats to resist that debacle, but the people around them weren't as fortunate.

Death had tried tickling their throats. They just didn't feel it.

Hajime's tussle with Hiyama's gang was just as needlessly deadly. Had he not prepared by bunkering down, he would've been severely injured. No amount of healing magic could restore him should all those fireballs and windblades get an eye or sever a limb. Maybe Eichirou could pull another miracle out of his ass and save him. But there was no way they should even dare take the risk. Even if any of them could save him from the horrors of it, playing with another's life was unacceptable.

And then there was the war with demons.

Their classmate had fallen into a rampage shortly after the fight and nearly killed Hajime. They'd gotten the warning from Meld and Break too exercise caution and be more aware of their surroundings. They even went so far as to assign them protectors and guards to be ready at all times. All because a little illusion magic was made to tinker with one of their minds. What's more, the illusion victim had gotten so blinded by rage, he never once doubted the images he saw.

For crying out loud, if they weren't aware of just how screwed they were before, they sure as hell were ignorant to not see the danger now! This wasn't a game. It never was, despite how game-like the magic and stat systems made them believe.

They could die here. Any one of them could be next. As proof, despite ingraining it into their training, the one most cautious, most aware of the danger, nearly did kick the bucket.

All because they grew a little overconfident for managing to beat back the monsters on their first try.

Ayako wasn't stupid to say it was Eichirou's fault for getting caught in that predicament. None of her party would either. Any who said so was either a fool or looking for a beating. Anyone of them could've been in that position. Anyone.

Eichirou could've seen her unfit to fight and assigned Ayako to watch over the girl while he acted as their defense magic caster. Hajime could've volunteered as well. His task of molding the mortar tube could've been passed on to Kentarou and managed by his co-researcher of magic. Even any of the others, should they have been proficient in healing or taking care of others, could've been his replacement. Ai-chan-sensei might've volunteered if she thought Eichirou shouldn't try anything doctor-like any further.

Any one of them could've been trapped between a monster and people who had no way of defending themselves. As bad luck would have it, it just so happened to be him.

How she or the others would've reacted in his place was up in the air. Run, hide, fight. All options spelled bad news. She had heard Meld tried to grab the Dire Alpha's attention away from Eichirou, but the man failed to do just that.

The Knight Commander and a few others of the knights, people who were even now just about their stats but surpassing them in combat experience, failed to distract the monster. How else would Ayako and the others fare in their attempts to survive, much less defeat it?

Ayako doubted she would've had it been her in his shoes. Everyone must've thought the same.

Like her, they were gripped by fear. Fear of dying. Fear of being responsible for a friend dying. Despite all his teasing and arguing, she didn't wish that upon him. And though they maintained calm and blasé attitudes as they awaited their friend to awake, none of them had ever dropped their guards. Nor had they ever stopped wishing for him to wake up.

Strange as it were, he'd grown on them. She'd not even known him for long but he'd become a good friend. They've all become good friends. Ayako never liked admitting her own faults, but if it wasn't for him, she would probably not do as well as she would have in her training. That and she would also still be wrongly demeaning their other party member as well just for being an otaku.

How conceited and assuming she was that she never thought to see Hajime as a person just like she was. She was wrong. They all were. But right now, they were friends. Close enough to start making jokes, to sharing laughs.

To have them all smiling and having fun right here and now gave her a peaceful feeling. A reassuring feeling.

Now that he was awake, and even more so that he was acting as any normal teenager would, excited for touring the town, cross that he was exempted from something fun, angry that they were mocking him for it, they could feel the life emanating from him.

He was alive. And they could finally let their weeklong worries go.

Then…

"Nee, Eichirou-kun, we're sorry for saying all that!"

"…"

"Eichin, we were just kidding around. We didn't mean any of it!"

"I meant some of it—" "Kousuke-kun, shut it."

"That's right, Yamamoto-kun. It's just a joke. A j-o-k-e!"

A new worry slowly crept up due to their earlier teasing.

"Hey, Jugo, what do you think?" Giving them the cold shoulder, Eichirou placed a mask atop his face and asked the only one who didn't bother joining their fun for his opinion. "Too bright? Or is it too plain?"

"Er…" the corner of the old-faced teen's mouth twitched awkwardly into a smile. "Eichirou… I know you're mad… but.. come on, now. Let's not make this a problem… please?"

"… Hm? What's the problem?" With a forcefully blank expression, their leader regarded the half-angry-half-smiling faceplate he had worn earlier in one hand before setting it back down, angry-side pointing them, to pick up another. This one was a leather mask that resembled a black rabbit or maybe a similar animal form Tortus. "I don't see a problem. And I'm not mad. Do I look mad?" His tone wasn't anything but as he pointed to a pokerface that exuded irritation. "Does this look mad? I'm actually happy!"

The vendor looked disappointed that his first craftsmanship wasn't appreciated much but stayed hopeful that his second would. However, he did so awkwardly sweating as he observed their exchange.

"Eichin, come oooon! Don't give us the cold shoulder! We said we're sorry!"

"Did you say something, Jugo-kun?"

"Er—…"

"You didn't!" he didn't even wait as he exaggeratingly gasped. "Me neither! Strange, isn't it? It's like a buzzing of annoying flies."

Ayako's shoulders slumped as a sigh escaped her yet again today. Hajime had started apologizing soon after their leader stormed off in silent contempt. Kentarou and Mao following soon after, embarrassed yet apologetic smiles plastered on their faces. Jugo shared her frustration that they may have gone too far but as he was at center stage, he couldn't brush the issue off. As for their last member, judging by how Hajime to him to shut up, Kousuke didn't seem to be all that remorseful for his earlier jabs.

To go from worrying about his life to hoping for his forgiveness, their circle of friends really knew how to mess up a 'welcome back from the brink of death' greeting, don't they? But then again, they didn't really have the time to organize a party or celebration upon his waking. They'd been too worried he wouldn't even wake up for it. No going out to a bar to have a toast to it either, not that Ai-chan would allow them, over her dead body or otherwise.

"Yamamoto-kun, that's immature!"

"Strange for the pot to call a kettle black. Of course, I didn't hear anything. Did you, Jugo?"

"Do I even want to answer—"

"Of course you didn't hear anything. Must be the slight headache I'm having for just waking up."

'Oh come on… Why is he being such a child…' Ayako's sigh deepened, slightly regretting what she started. "Hey, come on, Eichirou. We're sorry already, alright?" she tried to apologize as well. Diffusing the situation was hardly her strong suit, but damn it if she didn't put any effort into trying. At least, if she succeeded, she would've won something over the others. Not that it was a competition, but she'd rather have made attempts for this little argument to not ruin their day. "We really did take it too far. So could you please stop ignoring us already—"

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

"Hm?!" "Woah!" "!" "Wha—?!"

The scream caught everyone glancing around. The marketplace was already abuzz with activity from butchers advertising meat to small smithy's hammering away samples. To suddenly have a cry for aide pierce through all that, nobody would be sure of who or where it came from, let alone respond to it.

"SOMEONE, PLEASE! HELP US!"

Again, another cry. Ayako could confidently tell from the follow up that it was a girl's. Young and high-pitched, the shrillness of its desperation was so obvious that she forced herself to crane her neck to look for the source. If it was needing immediate medical attention, then she probably wouldn't be of help much going by her past record. But it was better than nothing, right?

If only she knew which way to look. Warily, she and the others glanced about and around. 'Where did it come from—?'

_"__Celero!"_

"Oy, Eichirou-kun?!" "Dear Customer? You still haven't paid for—Hey!"

Her question remained unanswered as she turned about face. Catching only a glimpse of his coat's tail rounding a corner between stalls, Ayako gaped as her leader vanished on them.

"Tch…. He's only just recovered… After him!" Leading the way, Kousuke appeared to dash ahead before disappearing once more from her periphery as he hopped atop a nearby stack of crates to pursue their leader from on high. "Stay on his tail. I'll take the rooftops."

"Let's go!" Hajime didn't even think twice about going.

"O-oy, Hachin?!" Kentarou lagged behind but got to running after them as fast as he could.

"Sorry! Please, keep the change!" Tossing a couple of white coins to the shopkeep their leader inadvertently stole from, Jugo lugged along to follow after them, not even slowed down by his armor. This left the remaining two trailing behind.

"Oh, ok—O-oy! Dear Customer?! This is too much!"

Ayako didn't bother staying behind to receive the denominations. She didn't think she could be embarrassed any further today, but the thought of having the vendor and his associates stare at her was a bit too much considering that _her party_ all just up and left almost without paying.

'Dammit, really?! Really?! Boys are such jerks!'

Stubborn and hard to understand. Good at things she wasn't. Depressing to be around but fun to tease. Annoying as hell to deal with afterwards. They were less of jerks and more of a heap of trouble. The way they poked her insecurities, confused her to no end, and weighed on her conscience, it was all a rollercoaster of emotions. Too stressful for a girl to deal with.

Then again, it was only her that seemed to think so.

"Aya-chan, if you keep dawdling, I'll leave you behind, you know!"

"Why are you so excited, Mao-chan?"

"Maa~~~, I wonder," The girl, nonchalantly running ahead of her, unbothered by even this sudden rush to whoever needed help, said with as much emotion as one would about a field trip. "I think it's because it's fun." She was enjoying it? Ayako couldn't tell if the girl was wrong in the head or her airheadedness had levelled up. "Don't you think our party gets all the exciting bits? I mean, I don't think anyone else in class gets to say their party always has something intense going on. Do you?"

No, they didn't. And that was frustrating her even more. She didn't get why the girl was okay with it. Best friend or not, it worried her that the girl's mind really wasn't taking things seriously. Her expression must've shown her thoughts as Mao was quick to add.

"Aya-chan, if you keep staring at me like that, Nomura-kun might get jealous."

He must've heard her because she noted a drop in speed after a mini-stumble up ahead. An inconvenienced customer received only a shouting apology back as they glared at the two girls. The victim no doubt assumed they were with the perpetrator and pinned the shared blame on them as well. 'How embarrassing!'

"Don't worry Aya-chan. If he does, I'll make sure to clear it up just as fast. I'm your bestie after all. I'll support you all the way."

The misunderstood worry caused a vein in her temple to throb. 'Ah, this day is really a pain…'

Even now Mao-chan was leaving her in the dust. She wasn't as slowed as Ayako who had to unstrap her weapon, the metal rod inconveniently bumping her leg as she ran and grit her teeth. The grating stress only got worse as she looked ahead. Unburdened by any gear, or exasperation as Ayako was, the Invoker kept up the pace by— 'Is she skipping—?' Gritting her teeth, she cried out. "Oy! Wai—WAIT UP!"

"Hurry up, Ayako-san!"

"Keep up! Slowpoke!"

"Ganbare, Aya-chan~~~!"

"…"

Realization dawned on her that even in physical fitness, she was losing to an otaku, a jerk, an airhead, and a hulking armored mass. Jugo's silent nod of encouragement only served to cause her eye to twitch.

'I really didn't get to enjoy today.'

It was supposed to be a relaxing day after their long and arduous trip. A tour of the town, a good meal, a bath, and even a bed to sleep on after all those days in a tent. But nooooooo…

Failed to heal her savior, jealous of her friend and party member's femininity, worried for her leader's health and near-death incident, then suddenly a girl's desperate cry for help. Stress from the trip to stress from her woes.

Was this another day she couldn't catch a break?

"Aya-chan, anymore slower and we'll leave you~~~."

"I said 'WAIT UP', DIDN'T I?"

Fueled by her frustrations, she charged after her party members. Unaware of the slightly strained smile that crept up her face, she was even more oblivious of the slight fun she was having with her friends.

* * *

THUD "GAGH!" "STOP IT!" THUD "UGHU—!" "STOP, PLEASE!" THUD "UGHOOK!" "LET GO OF MY BROTHER!" "Hm?" SLAM

The follow up punch didn't connect. Instead, the victim was tossed into the floor, battered and bruised.

"Hoho, so the brat has a sister?"

She didn't hear their voices. Nor did she notice one of them take position behind her, preventing any attempts to escape.

Frustration had her gripping her skirt tightly that it wrinkled. Didn't really matter if she ruined the material either as it was already doused in mud for her knees falling to the road of the slums. The same could be said for the fresh ingredients she had bought for her homecoming as they were crushed by mud-covered boots after falling out of the sack into the dirty street.

'Why did this have to happen?' she asked herself. The excitement of returning home had been dampened by her earlier struggles to ascertain her feelings for her charge. And yet, despite realizing that she should've made up her mind by now, she ended up here, in this horrid predicament.

She had gone through the checkpoint faster than most, being a registered resident of town. After which, she immediately went shopping. It was her first time home in a long while. She'd planned out what to prepare for her family ahead of time and even had an idea what to give their neighbors as thank-you presents for taking care of her sickly mother and brother in her steed.

All she had to do was get home sooner than they expected. Well, sooner than Leo could anyway. At the very least, she wanted to surprise her hardworking little brother for being headstrong in her absence.

But then all that came crumbling down when she got past the alleyway that led to the shortest route home and saw what was happening. Tears streamed down her face as she watched a young boy, lying on his side just a little way from her, struggle to breathe. "Why is this happening?"

"Heh," a stranger's voice, hardly comforting and sounding more like a mockery, overlapped the metallic clink of boots that left the boy to approach her. Looking up, she met the eyes of the most fancily clad of the strangers she perceived as a danger. Attire like a nobleman but with an expression like a snake, she flinched as he smirked in glee. "You don't even know? Even though he's your little brother? You must be a very negligent onee-chan to not be aware of his misbehavior."

She wasn't a negligent sister. Neither would she be aware of any problem he had gotten into. She hadn't even been in town to know of any problems he may have caused others. Had she not taken this shortcut to get home as soon as possible, she wouldn't have ever noticed her little brother was being ganged up on by four adult men.

"Why are you doing this?!" Iselda demanded, almost screaming at the man—no, the monster posing as an adventurer as he kept smiling in amusement. "What has Leo done to deserve this?!"

"What, indeed?" the fancy adventurer's handsome features twisted into a despicable grin. "You see, little lady, we were just minding our own business. After killing some monsters, doing some errands, us guys were supposed to get some relaxation. A time off, if you will."

"But then this little shit," grabbing the boy up by the collar, another adventurer with expensive full-body plate armor lifted Leo up like he was nothing. "Decided he was gonna get in the way. I would've forgiven him once or twice, but you couldn't help but get in the way for a third time, couldn't you?"

"Guh!" Gasping for breath as he was lightly flailed, the boy's head snapped forward and his small hands gripped the steel vambraces. "You—! You think I'd let you— harass Emma-san and her family like that?! After all the shit you caused their father this morn—OWO—GAH!"

"LEO!"

Iselda couldn't help but scream as the knightly-dressed barbarian of a man dropped, no, threw her brother into the ground. The impact would've snapped his neck had he not raised his arms to absorb the impact. But with the adventurer's strength alone, that much resistance meant little as brute force most definitely bruised his entire arm.

Had she tried to stop the man, she too might've been gravely injured but would've been able to soften her brother's impact if only slightly. Unfortunately, the others had a tight grip on her collar, preventing any attempts of her meager intervention.

"You bastards! First my boss and his family!" The boy's rage seethed. "Now, you harm my sister?! I'm gonna— GUOH!"

"The hell are you on about, brat?" The barbarian knight spat as he readied another hit. "You think I give a shit about—"

"Now hold on a minute, Conner," interrupted the flashy one that still looked at his suffering with a smile. Moving away from Iselda, he squatted near Leo and spoke loudly. "What was that you were saying earlier, boy? Something about someone's father?"

"Y-You don't remember?!" Getting looks like he was a bug, the boy spat back. "You were the jackasses that refused to pay old man, Hendricks! Even after he gave you room and board at the inn, all you assholes did was harass his girls and steal his food—!"

"Ah! Now I remember! You're that jealous stable boy who stepped in when Conner tried to talk with the youngest ojou-san, weren't you?" The snake's smile seemed to reach his ears when the boy stared back hard. "So, 'little hero', what seems to be the problem? I can't think of a reason for you to be so troublesome when we didn't do anything wrong."

He didn't even sound convincing as the taunt escaped his lips. The goading worked its magic as Leo didn't so much as wilt under their gazes.

"Didn't you—KUHO—hear me, Shit-for-brains? You didn't pay my boss—BUGO!"

A foot impacted his side as the handsome yet disgusting adventurer stood tall. "I don't like your attitude, stable boy. Here I am, respectfully asking questions, and you dare speak as if we were on the same level." The smile was still there but the eyes now joined in as he took pleasure in causing pain. "Not to mention the fact that you'd consider demanding payment for such pitiful accommodations. I've seen brothels with better services than that old geezer's trashy food and useless whores."

"YOU SON OF A—!" THUD "—GAH!" THUD "—AGH!" THUD

He couldn't finish. Not with the continued punches brought about by the flashy adventurer's nod of approval to his barbarian knight.

"Please! Stop this!" Iselda couldn't take it. Seeing her brother fight for what he believed to be right was endearing. He may have been born small and remained as much for his age, but his brave heart was never one to falter before wrongdoing. That had Iselda's heart beaming with pride. But it did as much to weigh it back down knowing it's what got him in this mess in the first place. "PLEASE STOP AND LET MY BROTHER GO!"

"And what would you offer in return? Yourself?" The viper's smirk chilled her to the bone. The tongue he used to lick his lips didn't do much except cause her skin to crawl. "Well, I'm not really against such a… brave proposal. Especially since you would be doing it to cover for your little brat of a brother." With his hand, covered in spotless steal, he lifted her chin up so that she met his eyes. The disgusting intentions within them had her frozen in place. "Now that I've had a good look at you, you're not half bad, little mouse. Could do well to straighten this rat nest of hair though."

The hand he brought to caress her brush of a hair pulled back on it hard, but not before Iselda spat into his eyes and kicked forward with all she had.

"Gah!"

Her foot landed sadly not on his crotch, but on the side of his armored knee instead, bending the leg to the side and causing him to drop her as he seethed in slight pain. But it was only for a moment as she felt someone claw at her back and hair.

"AH!"

"NEE-CHAN—!" "Where are you looking at, brat?!" "GUH!"

Iselda couldn't even cry out to her little brother as the other two adventurers standing behind her pinned her arms to her back in an effort to pull her away from harming their companion further.

"You alright boss?" one of them called out.

"Ah, not to worry. Just keep a firm grip on her for me." Recovering for his slight trip to the ground, the snake of a man dusted himself up while wiping the saliva off his face. Disgusted as he seemed to have touched the slum's dirt road and another person's spit, he seemed to smile even more as his eyes met hers. "Well, well, well! This little mouse has some fight in her!"

She growled back and would've spat at him once more, but not for the rasp of steel that had her freezing up yet again.

"Ah, ah, ah. Dirty my beautiful face one more time, and I ruin what little beauty you have. Well, either that or…" His blade hovered dangerously closer over Leo as he walked over to stand next to the barbarian pinning his arm to her brother's throat. "I cut the brat."

Iselda stopped struggling. She would if she could, but not now. She wouldn't dare put her precious family at risk. Didn't her weeklong frustrations torture her about this enough already?!

'Of all the times to have them come to harm, why now?! Why, Ehito-sama?!' A single tear escaped her. 'Why… Anima-sama?!'

"Oh? Is that all the fight you got?" The wide smile he wore faltered slightly, but only just before curling up again. "A shame."

"Let go of my sister, you bastard!"

"How many times do I have to tell you," he sighed. "Ngh!" THUD

"GUH!"

Not even making to sheathe his weapon, the boss of the four adventurers suddenly landed his heal atop Leo's gut, eliciting a pained groan.

"Not." THUD "To address!" "GAHK!" "Me!" THUD "So!" "AGH!" "Casually!" THUD "Brat?!" "GAHK!"

Vomit and spittle escaped him at last. Blood had yet to be spilled, but by the redness of his welts, blood was hardly the concern right now. The brutes might've broken several of Leo's bones already!

"Please!" Iselda couldn't even bear to watch anymore as her pleading turned to whispers. Tears had begun to stream down her face. Her own powerlessness taking over her initial resistance. "Please… stop it! You're hurting him!"

"That's the idea, little mouse!" The poor excuse for a human being marched over to her again, blade still held aloft as it tickled her cheek. "I'm a noble. Son of a margrave, might I add. And for disrespecting such a high-ranking pureblood as myself, street rats like you must be punished. Your little brother is lucky, getting only a beating. Had it been my father, he would've been lashed, thrashed then thrown to the dogs to fend for his life. You should actually be grateful for my mercy!"

His fellows laughed while his smile only grew in how disgusting it looked on his face. The thought that such class divide even existed was a painful reminder to the girl that she, as a commoner, was worth nothing to the highborn.

And yet, she felt disappointed that she was being repressed by this worm who wasn't even on the same level as a person.

Her reasons for thinking so was because she had met others far above him. Iselda had had tea with a queen who was a loving and doting mother. 'Like mother is.' She had worked for a princess that was a hardworking and smart child. 'Like Leo is.' She had even served an Apostle that was just a humble young man who had worries for his family more than anything or anyone else. Wasn't he the same as her then?!

An Apostle, a chosen of god, a powerful existence that carried out the divine's will, worried for his own selfish reasons. Just like Iselda had, did, and would for her family.

She remembered the times when he would interact with his fellow Apostles. She had observed how diligently he would train with them and research magic with them, early in the morning all through the night. Reminiscing on all his exchanges, he did carry himself as a noble and respectable chosen of Ehito-sama.

But now that she thought back on it, he acted more human than she ever gave him credit for.

He would laugh with them about jokes she didn't understand. He would scold them for carelessness as she would've her brother should he be just as negligent. He'd take glances at his family's image as she would the letters she received from her own. He'd even get a little angry rarely but every now and then at his fellows. Just like she would when Amelia-senpai stepped out of line.

Throughout his time in this world, she'd seen all sorts of sides from him. A devoted friend, a doting brother, a diligent teacher. He was all of these things and more.

But all she saw was the immaculate Saint he apparently didn't want to be. That he felt uncomfortable being.

'Was it the same for Luluaria-sama and Liliana-sama?' Iselda sighed, disappointed with herself for not looking at it through their perspectives. 'Did one just want to be seen as a mother for her children? Did the other wish she was just a normal… commoner, girl, without the restraints that came with being royalty?'

The former was willing to manipulate others for her own ends. The latter had always exerted herself for the good of the kingdom. But that didn't mean they did so willingly. Iselda had seen the Queen's reluctance in using force to get her way. She had witnessed the Princess push herself to meet the Kingdom's expectations all because Yamamoto-sama applauded her for it. Even when she wasn't serving her, she could tell from her senior, Helina-senpai, was just as worried for her liege's health.

She wouldn't know what either of the women wanted truly. But she already knew what he wanted.

He had manipulated them to hide his true feelings. He'd forced himself to play the part of a Saint and Apostle. Both unwillingly for the sake that he could buy time to find a way to return. To go back to where his family was.

It was selfish, sure. But weren't they all? Liliana-sama may not admit it, but she was doing it all to impress Yamamoto-sama. She might've shown kindness and appreciation to all in her life, but the biggest smiles came when _he _praised her for it. Luluaria-sama had already admitted she would do what she had to out of gratitude for the children that he saved. Even going so far as to contradict the Church if she must.

Was Iselda any different?

She hesitated to accept the Queen's order to help him for her own reasons after all. Even if it was a personal request, the noblewoman had every right to demand it of her for she was above Iselda. But Iselda refused. She didn't want to because her family might be brought in danger should things go awry. Didn't that make their reasons the same? Didn't that make _them_ all the same?

'No, of course not.' Iselda internally scoffed. 'Just because I found a reason to sympathize with them doesn't put me on the same level of even the least of the three.'

And the princess' role and responsibility was far beyond that of a mere maid. Iselda was still just a commoner. They still were and always will be above her stature, yes. He was far above them all. Both in selfishness and magnanimity.

But she couldn't deny that they were amazing in that aspects that didn't differ from normal people. Had they not the prestige of their class, being born into nobility or the blessing of god, she might've gotten to know them as ordinary commoners. As just people. As good people. They were the best examples of human beings.

And yet, the one standing before her now who claimed superiority only brought her disappointment.

Compared to them who had the power, the authority, the respect their title demanded of them, and even something more that their rank could never have given them, it had to be the most fashionably dressed worm she had ever seen to mock her family and take pleasure in how she suffered.

She felt frustration that out of all the problems that could trouble her to no end today, it had to be this sort of selfish, high-and-mighty, poor excuse for a noble.

Of all the times to come to a decision, it had to be now. She sighed as a single line of thought flew by. 'Why did this pathetic person have to come ruining my homecoming?'

"What's the matter, little mouse?" the steel he used to caress her cheek drew a little blood, causing a slight shudder from her that he seemed to enjoy but not find satisfactory enough. With a disappointed frown, he pressed the edge to her throat. "Don't tell me you're not going to say 'thanks'. Hey, I'm being generous, here!"

He'd harmed her family, humiliated her brother, threatened her, and now he asks for gratitude? Iselda held back her retching, disgusted in how he would even say such drivel.

She'd never, _never_, show gratitude to something as lowly as this. She'd rather die.

"Oho? Or are you going to resist instead?" He must've noticed the resolve in her eyes as his revoltingly gleeful expression returned. "But you can't possibly do anything in this state. Commoner's like you can only squirm under my boots!"

Iselda would've spat at him for the insult but knew better than to give him a reason to turn his ire back on her brother. With how precarious things were, she might as well be subject to his taunts than let the boy suffer any further.

"You bastard! Get away from her—NGH!" "Shut it, brat!"

Well, suffer more than he was now as the adventurer armed in metal plates pressed down on his mouth.

"Thanks for keeping the 'little hero' silent for me, Conner." Her brother's captor nodded back before the vilest of the four turned back to her. "You know, now that I think about it, I might've been carried away a little." Iselda bit back the curses she would've thrown at his understatement. "I can't ask your brother to forgive me since, firstly, there's nothing to forgive! Secondly, I highly doubt a little mouse like you can handle… 'reimbursing' all four of us for the trouble."

"Now hold on, boss," the one behind her responded with a slight tug to her hair. The sound of smacking lips indicated the meaning of their words had she not picked up on it from the worm's not-so subtle creepy smile. "You can't be so sure of that. For all we know, this little slum rat's a whore."

"Or we could teach her to be one," the other chimed in just as creepily. Iselda thought her skin must've started rotting where they touched her.

"Haaah, you fools may be fine with any vermin tramps but I'm a nobleman. And noblemen don't settle for sloppy seconds. Still, that's why I'm this party's leader and not you two."

The two could only gruffly chuckle at what was obviously a veiled insult on their tastes and standing. Iselda either thought they were too dumb to realize that or just didn't care at all. So long as they get to have fun.

"So, little mouse, how about we do this instead," the ringleader of the vile party then suggested. "If you can get someone to take your place, I promise to release you!"

Iselda's eyes widened incredulously.

"What? Don't believe me?"

"…"

Less of 'wouldn't' and more of 'couldn't'. He had to be insane to do all this and just torture her further by offering a ridiculous trade. In fact, who in their right minds would even accept such a deal?! No one short of desperate enough as to sell their souls to demons. And even that desperation had standards!

"Got no one to offer? I'm not lying, I swear. On my honor as a noble, I won't punish the two of you any further."

"…"

The audacity of such a person to even claim as much… and he didn't even ensure their safety by omitting the others. Iselda glared at the man. Reading between the lines, she knew he wouldn't harm her, noble's word or not. But that didn't mean he couldn't order the others to do something worse. The expectancy in their eyes all but admitted the joy he took in watching others suffer, by his hand or otherwise.

"Well, looks like it's no good." Seeing her glare back in silence, he seemed to give up. "I was kinda hoping you would have a sister, or maybe someone older, perhaps a mother." She froze but didn't give it away. "I mean, you're not much to look at, but then what good looks you have should've come from someone."

"Oh, oh! If she has a little sister, can I have dibs?!" the one pinning her arm asked.

"Bahahaha," wiping a tear away, the smile grew. "Your disgusting tastes never cease to amuse me, Lector! But that's not why I keep you, so go on ahead."

"Yoooshaaa!" "Oy! No fair!"

"Haha, suck it, Craig!"

"Give me another younger sister at least!"

"If there was, that's all Conner's I'm afraid. You boys gotta give the guy something after the brat got in his way this morning!"

"No way!"

Iselda didn't even register their disgusting conversation as her gaze locked to the floor.

'They'd even go after mother!'

The chill that went down her spine had her panicking. Struggling not to show weakness, she shivered in place. She had never been so disgusted with another person in her entire life!

Forget adventurers, these men were probably mercenaries, or even bandits. Thinking about it, they had no qualms performing violence on Leo all this time. Even if there weren't any witnesses around, it wouldn't stop either of the siblings from reporting it to the town's militia. But the way they acted, they didn't seem to care at all no matter how far they took it.

Because, to them, neither would talk. Rather, they expected them to not. Why? Out of fear of more punishment? More beatings? No. it was because to them, they were already as good as dead.

"Why so quiet, little mouse," she flinched. "Don't tell me you do have someone in mind?"

She had to stop them! If they found out about their mother, no way the sickly woman would get out of this alive. Not if these… _people_ had anything to say about it!

"What, really? None? That's a real shame. And here I thought you were hiding something… or someone." His smile more than told her enough that he knew what she did. "But maybe, I guess you will do—" "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" "—Uwah!"

She screamed out from the top of her lungs. Disregarding the blade that jerked away from her in surprise, she breathed in deep to do so once more, that someone, anyone would come to their aid.

"SOMEONE, PLEASE! HELP US!"

A moment of silenced passed. Then two. When a whole minute went by and not one soul moved to respond, her heart fell.

"Hahahah! It's useless, girlie!"

"Had someone wanted to help, they would've done so a while ago already!"

The two cackled behind her as she held on to hope that someone would respond. This was the slums of Horaud. Sure, not many would come passing by the shadiest district in town, but it was adjacent to the marketplace that never lost the bustle of people. Separated by a row of houses and connected by several small alleyways, one of which she had used to slip into the slums as a shortcut in the first place.

Should someone be there on the other side, they'd have heard her scream. People lived in these homes, for crying out loud! They should've heard Leo's cries in pain by now!

And yet, no one came to help them.

The horrid truth dawned on her… or was she just reminded, having known it all along…

Humans are selfish creatures. They'll do anything so long as it benefited them. And that included 'staying out of trouble'.

Her hesitation, her reluctance to comply to a royal's request, her reasons for refusing to do it when she owed that person her life and then some… Was all that not proof enough of human selfishness? Of her selfishness?

'Was this the feeling Luluaria-sama didn't want for Yamamoto-sama to feel?'

Cold? Isolation? Helplessness?

Or all of the above?

"Well, you've got a decent scream, at least. It'll make for a fun sight when Conner breaks you."

She didn't even bother responding to the snake of a nobleman, nor did she flinch when she heard his fingers snap. She quickly fell to her knees. Released by the cackling duo, she helplessly sunk to the dirty floor.

"Are you scared?" She was. But to admit it would only make things worse. Regardless, her silence was a telling 'yes'. "Good. I like girls like you. Especially when they're at their most vulnerable."

"Please… someone… anyone…" She whimpered. 'Be it Ehito-sama, or even Anima-sama, I don't care! At least get my brother and mother somewhere safe!'

"Oh come now, little mouse," she felt his hands claw her neck to meet her eyes. Not a shred of shame was present in his orbs. All the fear and frustration in her system culminated to her kicking and whimpering all at once in a last ditch effort to resist. "Hey! Stop that! No use in crying. After all, you're a commoner. Nothing but trash. And people like me have an obligation to step on trash."

"Get away!" She cried while giving his chest her strongest kick to no avail. "Someone! Help—!"

"Who are you expecting to answer your prayers, little mouse?! God? Sorry to break it to you, but I don't think a god would give two shits about common trash like y—!"

"ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE!"

"Eh?!"

It all happened in a flash.

One moment, she had her neck in a vice grip, subject to whatever the fiend had planned for her. The next, a solid boot had impacted the side of the nobleman's face, loosening his grasp on her and tossing him to the wayside.

CRASH

"Oy!" "What the!" "Boss!"

The trio all stood up in shock. But instead of readying their weapons, they instead charged towards their downed leader.

"Oy, you alright—?" "Out of the way, idiot!" "Bugger off!" "No! You bugger off!"

"Boss can you hear me?" As the two who held Iselda before simultaneously reached their head, only to start pushing each other aside, the armored barbarian who had pinned Leo down knelt over the nobleman's crumpled form. "Sir, can you hear me?!"

"Conner?" he sounded confused, lost in the brief moment he was stunned. "Did you see that carriage that ran over me?"

"Ignoring the enemy to see to your injured? Hmph, quite the devoted posse you have." A confident voice caught the attention of all present. "But to have raised a hand against children, thy character doth not redeem thy actions."

Standing protectively before her, a man stood facing the four men with his left side. Iselda couldn't see her savior's front from her spot in the road but instead was privy to his broad back. Covered with a black mantle that billowed on a non-existent air current, she noted the inner lining of the cloak to be red underneath. A pair of clean black boots that reached till the knees of his long black trousers tracked mud as he positioned himself between herself and Leo. With no weapons in sight, hands covered in black leather gloves balled into fists at the ready.

"Are you alright, young lady?"

Iselda very nearly forgot to breathe until he turned to face her. Lifting her gaze from the lower half, eyes glanced past a pristine black coat with long sleeves. Between the coat's buttons and lashes, she saw a white tunic and even higher, she was met with a… black rabbit? "Eh?!"

"Young lady, what troubles you—?"

"EEEEEK?!"

The gloved hand that stretched out to offer help hesitated at her shriek.

'Eh? Why? I did say 'anyone', but I didn't expect…' she swallowed hard. Unwilling to move lest this one meant harm as well. She didn't even register the words he said, for fear had settled in her heart yet again. "D-d-demi-human?!"

"Hm? Ah!" The stranger suddenly exclaimed, much to her surprise. "You mean the mask."

"Ma…sk…? Ah!"

"Here." She should've noticed as the lower half of his face revealed his human smile. But as if to prove to her that he wasn't an actual demi-human, he shifted the black leather on his face to the side slightly. Not enough to reveal his face, but the ears pointed up shifted as evidence. The eyeholes became obvious as his dark orbs vanished from view before he readjusted it. One of the ears drooped slightly at the loss of balance for good measure, verifying its faux material. "See?"

Noticing that it really was indeed just a mask, Iselda snapped herself out of her stupor.

"I apologize for startling you, but this is for personal reasons." Again, he outstretched a hand. This time, she took it, albeit slowly, as he helped her up. "I trust you can see yourself and your family to safety from here?"

'Family?' slow to respond due to the shock and surprise, she momentarily forgot about her badly injured brother. "Leo!"

Her attention snapped forward, pushing her to dash madly towards the boy. As he struggled to get back up, the hand Leo used to support him up slipped from beneath him, prompting her habit as the elder sister to catch his head before it hit the pavement.

She was too late.

The rabbit-masked man got to him first.

"Woah there, young man! Easy. Easy, now." Helping him to sit up, the stranger looked the boy up and down, scanning his injuries. "You've taken quite the beating, lad. Looks like you won't be able to escape after all."

"E-escape…?" Leo managed to mumble through his bruised lips. "You're telling… Kuho… me… to run? Who… are you… even—? Kuho!"

"Leo! Enough!" as the elder sister that she was, Iselda took over the man's spot to lend the little brother her own shoulder. "What the hell were you even thinking? Picking a fight with adventurers—no, I'll save that for later. Right now, we need to get you to a healer—"

"No way in hell, Nee-cha—Uho! Kuho!" The coughing fit that erupted cut him off for a time until he caught his breath. "That… that bastard… trashed Hendricks-ojisan's place… Then… he had the balls… to go after Emma-san! I'm not… gonna let… him get away—Kuho! Not… until I—!"

"A noble heart, you may have, young man. But the same cannot be said for your physique." the rabbit-masked stranger stood up, towering above the siblings with his height. "While I do approve of your feelings, I cannot allow your approach to put yourself in any more harm's way." Turning to Iselda, the man nodded. "Your brother isn't in any danger, but I doubt any of us will be able to get away easily." He snorted, glancing over Iselda's head. "Well, not unless they permit you to."

"You're right on that, you filthy animal!" The curdling tone of the familiar voice carried with it venom. Rising from his dent in the nearby wall, the nobleman glared at them. For the first time today, the smirk was wiped clean off his now-snarling face. "You…!"

"Me." Contrary to him, the masked stranger wore the wide smirk this time. He even had his head tilted slightly. As if he was attempting to invite the man's ire.

"How dare you?!" the snarl turned into a growl.

"Dare what exactly?" meanwhile, the rabbit man remained sarcastically oblivious. "Speak up, good sir. You're not making any sense."

"How dare you dirty me!" the monster of a man howled in anger. "A noble such as I, to be dirtied by mere filth such as you… Yore gonna pay."

"Is that so?" the black mask tilted his head to the other side. Ears lop siding along the way. "But I am unarmed!" He made the response sound like a valid point to not fight with his expressive tone alone.

It didn't deter the three cronies who had already lined up in front of their boss. "Feh, should've thought of that before you intervened. Get him!"

The biggest of them all charged ahead with the other two following after. Iselda would've cried out a warning to their benefactor. Grateful as she was for being saved, she didn't wish it upon him to be hurt. She needn't have worried for the black rabbit masked man as he didn't need to dodge.

Not when he himself jumped into the fray.

"You little—"

"Too slow!"

As the armored barbarian made to strike him with a heavy left hook, the rabbit mask leapt not to the side, but into his guard. A kick was thrown at the brute's armored right knee, but as it struck to the side, like how Iselda did the nobleman earlier, the barbarian lost his footing and fell to the ground on his other knee in pain.

This left him open to a counter hook brought about by the rabbit's right arm. The hit struck true and landed on the helmetless brute's temple, effectively knocking him down for the time being.

"Conner!" The angry noble could only bark orders in his fury. "Grr! Lector, Craig, kill this interloper!"

Flexing the hand he used to knock out one, the rabbit mask quickly glanced at either side. The grinding of metal could be heard as the pair drew their weapons. One rough-edged bastard sword and the other a pair of long daggers. With one armed man on each side, attempting to corner him, rabbit mask weighed his options. He chose to run backwards.

Down an enclosed alley.

"Running away?!" "Get back here, coward!"

"I take that as a compliment!"

The rabbit mask ran straight, pushing aside crates and baskets. All in an attempt to slow down or obstruct his pursuers. It didn't. They simply plowed on through, trusting their arms and mixed metal-leather armors to take the brunt of the damage.

It didn't take long for the dead end to appear. Blocked on either side by wall, the two charged him towards a wall. He didn't stop running. Instead, he ran faster.

"There's nowhere to run, rabbit!" "It's no use trying. That's a dead—EGAH!" THUD

The surprise came when the rabbit masked kicked off the floor to jump against the wall. The sudden change in momentum must've hurt his legs, but that didn't stop him from sending his cloak flying into one of their faces.

Running into a piece of cloth may have been harmless. But the airborne boot hidden behind it did more than knock the crony's teeth in. A sword fell limply to the side as a body, carried by momentum along the alley mud until it impacted the deep end, slipped under the rabbit mask. He hopped over it and the atop another crate to land behind the remaining pursuer's back. He even seemed to fly with how high each jump took him. Due to the mud tracking beneath though, the second chaser slipped a bit before turning about-face to launch a lunging stab.

"You slimy, son of a—"

"You talk too much."

Only to be met with a dropping axe kick directly to the cranium by the rabbit mask. Standing atop one of the untipped crates, the extra height advantage allowed for a harder hit. The flying daggers carried by unused momentum clattering on the street floor behind him and the telltale splat of mud in front signaled the drop of the unconscious assailant. Thus, the third of the attackers was removed from the fight.

It was then that Iselda's eyes caught the sheen of silver as it streaked down her savior's back.

"LOOK OUT!"

"Woah!" rolling forward, the rabbit masked impossibly evaded a slash that could've torn open his back. Wind seemed to billow between him and the new assailant as he smiled. "Fancy that! A noble that attacks from the back. On an unarmed target to boot!"

"Silence!" Another swipe, this time, the rabbit masked jumped backwards, tossing his cloak into the air. The attack had the cloth ripped diagonally as a section torn off by a clean slice fell on the mucky ground. "You will pay for embarrassing me!"

"Hmm, you would take your anger out on anything? Nothing I can say but your father must've failed to discipline his rabid dog."

"SILENCE!"

The slash in anger swiped air. The second attempt to hit struck the wooden wall instead, chipping it and sending planks flying about. Another slash met a basket, its contents spilling forth from the slice. Not to let it go to waste, the rabbit mask pushed said basket and whatever its contents, into the nobleman's face.

"Gah! Filth! To use cheap tricks in a duel?!"

"This is a 'duel'?!" Rabbit mask sounded genuinely surprised.

Slipping past the nobleman's guard as the egg basket was swiped away, he sent a kick to the man's back to tip him over. For good measure, he moved behind a nearby stack of crates in the alley and shoved them hard, sending them to topple over towards his opponent. But unlike the pair who were able to charge through using momentum alone, the flashy noble stood still could do nothing to escape, blinded as he was by egg yolks and the flat on his back. The resulting crash trapped him and his weapon beneath a mountain of dust and debris.

"Oh dear, thou hast fallen and are unable to get back up." Rabbit mask spared his opponent a bow. "I pity a fool who knows not when to quit."

"Fuck! I'm gonna kill you!"

"Correct me if you would, but I believed a duel entailed two parties settle their scores on equal footing, armed with the weapons each according to their specialty in a head-to-head confrontation. Am I wrong? Or are you merely a low-class noble who does not know the true meaning of such an agreement?" When he turned to admire his handiwork, rabbit mask took the chance to throw back a taunt. All the while, the frustrated noble struggled to escape of the messy wooden pile. "Or is it, you're not a noble at all! You're just posing to be one, are you not?!"

"Filthy commoner!" A piece of dry wood flew at rabbit mask which he lazily tilted his head to avoid. "My father will have your head if you refuse to face me like a man, you damned coward!"

"I see. You are neither." Dusting himself off, the rabbit mask made to sigh with a smirk. "Just a petulant child drunk on power not his own. Still, to assume my rank before having named myself, I see whatever low-born family you're from has failed to teach you proper etiquette. And true noblesse oblige."

Iselda continued to observe as her and Leo's savior gracefully bowed towards his downed opponent once again before turning towards them. Relief overtook her in the form of a sigh as she realized he had not only saved them but did so without spilling a drop of his own blood.

Should they call the guards and explain the situation, they'd likely believe the testimony and arrest their tormenters with no delay. They'd probably even let their masked savior go without incident.

Unsure as she was to his identity, she owed him more than he might imagine. Gone were most of the money she earned for this short vacation with the ruined ingredients, but at the very least they escaped with their lives. She'd need to find a way to compensate this stranger.

Just another debt she needed to repay among those she owed to someone else.

'That was it! Everything was going to be fine!' Iselda smiled, close to tearing up in joy this time. Other than owing another person, she was safe. But more importantly, her family was safe. And alive. 'Thank goodness!'

"It's too early to be celebrating, young lady." The rabbit mask must've noticed her relief as he made to approach them. Confident smile still in place and not even losing a drop of sweat. Though, she couldn't be sure as his mask covered his forehead. "I know I said your brother was in no risk, but his condition could worsen if left as it is. A stable boy such as yourself can't afford to have a sling or a weakened arm for long, now can you?"

"I'm fine… mister…" Leo, who had watched the entire fight in awe as he leant on his sister for support, had wide eyes for their rescuer as well. "Who… are you… really? To take on…. Guh! Four at once—Ngh!"

"Leo!" Iselda quickly covered the lower half of her brother's face. As curious as she was, she didn't want to jeopardize this peace they were given or earn the ire of such a powerful individual. "I'm sorry, sir! He, my little brother, doesn't mean to pry—"

"No, no." Shaking a hand to interrupt, the masked man simply chuckled back. The eyes under the leather seemed to soften slightly. "Curiosity is no crime. It's one's right to ask what they want to know. Getting an answer depends, however. Relax. I'm not offended at all." The chuckle turned into a sigh. "But I apologize. I'm not permitted to reveal myself at this time. My host wouldn't permit me revealing his—no," he lightly smiled. "I'm afraid I might've done more than I should've already."

"W-we won't tell anyone!" Though confused by his choice of words, Iselda quickly stammered out a response. Should the man's secret be revealed, it might undo all the effort he put into saving them. Whoever this man was a guest of, if inclined to silence them, it would all be for not. Even if it was just Leo, her family would be back in danger once more. "I swear on my life! Please! We'll forget this ever happened—"

"Calm down, child," taking off his glove, a hand settled atop her head and gently patted her until she quieted down. "I'm not going to hurt either of you. That'd defeat the purpose of my intervening anyway and will no doubt anger my host should I turn-tail now." The rabbit masked chuckled at a joke neither of the siblings were aware of. "Simply promise me that, should anyone ask, I never existed. How about that? I guarantee it'll be a better deal than what the pitiful child offered."

The way he casually referred to the noble as a mere 'child' contradicted his previously confident and taunting air. The mature expression was yet again overturned by his own childlike smile. One made as if sharing a secret. Iselda even noted the wink behind his mask.

It was as if he was a child playing an adult playing a child. If that made any sense.

"I will. My brother as well." She could do nothing but nod, taking the blessing for what it was. Reluctant and injured as he was, Leo made a firm expression but didn't refute it further.

"I appreciate that." The rabbit masked made to refit his glove. "But before I disappear, how about we get you to someone who can patch you right up, lad—?"

"How's about I make you disappear first?!"

They didn't have time to react. Neither of the siblings saw it coming, much less rabbit mask with his back turned. The iron grip latched onto his leg in an instant and, in the next, threw him on his back. Hard.

THUD "GAHAK!"

"Got you, you little rabbit!" The hulking Conner stood back up. Masking his return to consciousness by remining prone, he'd snuck up on the trio and managed to land the preemptive strike, as well as the first real damaging hit on their savior. "Fast one, aren't you? Hope you've had your last words, because now, you won't get away!"

True to his word, instead of releasing his captive, the brute lifted his quarry by the ankle and slammed him into the mud again. His front struck the earth, a gasp barely escaping as he was dragged along the road towards the giant man.

In the process of being dragged into what would've been a mounting position where he would no doubt be pummeled to death, the rabbit mask quickly countered with backwards kick right at the least armored part of the plate-clad barbarian. His 'other head'.

"GAAAH!" The boot hit its mark, shocking the man into letting go and falling to his knees. Not wanting to get another hit to his real head like previously, however, the man raised an arm in time to block the haymaker. Alas, he failed to notice the quick jab that struck his nose dead on. "FUGO! You nimble little shit!"

"Aaahhh! I must say, I never expected your face to be so… hard." The rabbit mask distanced himself before exclaiming as he wiggled the arms he used to attack. "You don't happen to be hiding something made of metal in your head, are you?" The taunt came after as soon as he shook the wrist pain away. "Don't tell me. You'd forgone the helmet as your thick skull already had armor in place of a brain."

"GRAAAAH!"

Conner, enraged, got back up to attack. A swipe was dodged. Another kick accompanied by a punch was avoided as well. The more the brute attacked, the more rabbit mask had to give up ground. Thankfully, he was leading the fight away from the sibling pair and into another wall.

It was then that the armored marauder pulled out his weapon.

CRASH "Kuh!"

"I'm gonna crush you!"

From his waistbelt, a mace, third of a meter in length with a head in a shape of a jagged birdcage and the size of a large fist, struck the wall. Rabbit mask had attempted to hop of it and kick at his opponent's head like before but missed his chance as he retreated overhead in surprise. Using the brute's back a ramp, rabbit mask slid behind him and struck the back of his knee. The same one he tripped aside a while back.

"GUH!" He kneeled as soon as it connected. "ORAAAAA!" But before rabbit mask could strike him down like he did before, a backhand swing caught him in the chin.

"Gah!" The counterstrike sent him flying back. Try as he may to recover in midair, the masked man lost concentration due to the sudden force that shook his brain within his skull. Rabbit mask fell to his back with a thud.

"Sir?!"

"I'm alright!" he replied with a slight delay. But as soon as the words left his mouth, the brute was upon him once more.

"DIE!" SLAM

He then started to roll away.

"DIE!" SLAM "DIE!" SLAM "WHY WON'T YOU DIE!" SLAM

Each word was punctuated by a slam of the weapon to the ground. The sturdy thing held as the strike crated small holes all around. But no matter how fast he swung, the adventure brute kept missing, albeit just barely.

"Well, well, well! Seems like I got on your nerves!"

Iselda couldn't even imagine how he still had the energy to goad the man. Sliding under another near-miss swing, the girl noted how wide it went further than it did before. That's when it hit her.

'He's provoking him on purpose?'

It seemed to be so as more strikes whizzed past rabbit mask than before. After a short while, the brute himself was wheezing. The weight of his armor tiring him faster than rabbit's light black leather did him.

"Heh. I knew adventurers were tough, but to see it for myself, you don't seem all that impressive, my good man." taking a breather, rabbit mask sighed a short distance away from the exhausted marauder. He too seemed just as fatigued but managed to stay upright. For now. "How about we make a deal. We all walk away from this, and no one has to get hurt any more than they have to?"

'He's negotiating for a mutual retreat?' Iselda didn't think it odd. While he was holding his own, now that rabbit mask had to face what seemed to be the more capable of the four in a one-on-one, he'd been tired out just keeping him busy. The siblings not being able to help aside, should any of the others recover like the brute— Iselda gasped, but her warning came too late. "BEHIND YOU!"

"Hm—?" CRASH "GUHO!"

The side of a wooden crate hit him square in the back of the head. For a second, Iselda thought she saw the light vanish from the eyeholes in his mask. But whatever it was she saw, she didn't have the heart or energy to cry out if he was okay when the recovered nobleman spat out his orders.

"The hell you waiting for, Conner?! Restrain him!" The brute did as told, holding the rabbit masked man up with an arm under either armpit. The noble circled around to spit in the face of the persistent thorn on his side. "Not so tough now when you can't hide or run away, can you?"

"Ugh," the rabbit mask stirred, hope fluttered ever briefly within Iselda as he awoke. "Where… what the… what's…?!"

"Seems like your memory needs jogging! Let me help you with that!" SMACK

"GAH!"

The now-dirty noble covered in eggshells and yolk struck rabbit mask on the side of the head. Said mask didn't budge from his face, but one of the ears began to tear as the noble did so with a fragment of the crate in hand.

"Remember now?!"

"I was… you… Ise… eh?!" rabbit mask stills seemed out of it, but when his eyes roved over to where Iselda and Leo sat, still with fear and anxiety, his expression hardened and the light returned to the mask's eyeholes. But this time, they seemed darker than before. "You were harassing them…"

"Yes," the noble shamelessly admitted.

"I…" hesitation, then a small grin. "I stopped you…"

"Yes!" now he hissed it.

"Heh, I managed to kick four of you down…" he seemed to chuckle lightly. "Alone… heh—" CRACK "—GAH!"

"YES!" the prideful man had lost it. Breaking part of the wooden plank on top of rabbit mask's head with a large overhead swing, he proceeded to growl, enraged. "Here I was, trying to have fun in this shithole of a town—" DAN "GAH" "—And just when I actually found something amusing—" DAN "GUHO" "—A mask-wearing freak had to interrupt—" DACK "AGH" "—Beat my men—" DOK "UGH" "—And humiliate me! ME!" DAN DOK CRACK

Punctuating each line with a hit, he said it all as if it was an insult to even consider doing so, all in all obliterating the piece of wood he used to strike rabbit mask all over. Her savior's spittle dripped from his mouth. A little blood dripped from a cut lip, but as most of the hits had been redirected to hit his body, the rabbit's mask remained firmly atop his face.

After all the noble did, Iselda could care less about what he said. But now that rabbit mask was under his mercy, she grit her teeth. Slowly laying Leo down, she glared at him to keep silent. He kept still, unable to move due to his injuries. But his eyes begged 'no'.

For any other time, Iselda might've heeded his pleas. But not this time.

"I've had it up to here, with your games! But before I end you, I shall punish you!"

Picking up one of the downed assailant's discarded daggers, Iselda hid behind the two adventurer's periphery. With the brute still struggling to breath as he held onto the rabbit mask, and the noble too preoccupied with his venomous tirade, she managed to slowly get close.

"I'll beat you. I'll flay you alive! I'll make sure to gouge your eyes out! I'll do more to you than my father ever would and then some!"

She didn't think this was a good idea. But then again, what else could she do? Running was not an option with Leo's condition. She should've done that when rabbit mask had kept them all busy.

What a fool she'd been to stay frozen in fear.

As it stood, she either did something reckless and give her savior a chance to escape, or risk running away only to get caught once more. The former had little guarantee of success. But the latter had no guarantee for anything good.

The better of two evils was all she had.

Hiding behind one of the discarded crates, she made to stay behind the nobleman so as to not let the brute notice her. She waited with bated breath.

"And after all that, I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me!"

There it was! The moment his back was exposed as he stuck his face in the rabbit mask's own. She took the opportunity for what it was. Knife in hand, she broke into a run. Towards her target's open back.

All she needed to do was stab him in his most vulnerable point. The knife wasn't that long, but if it would suffice to cause major spinal damage.

Five paces.

She aimed for the spot just above his waist armor, the point in his backside that was at the same height as his elbows.

Three paces.

What might've taken her two seconds to walk flashed by in an instant. She'd just needed one more step.

"But not until I make you watch what I do to this bitch!"

'Eh?!'

And then, time slowed. That instant turned into a minute then two. The moment the sound of steel rasping out of a sheathe came to her ears, her eyes that had been pointed straight at the flat of the vile noble's back, flickered to her right side. A shimmering silver streaked towards her.

"ISELDA!"

Strange… Leo must've shouted her name. But that was impossible, seeing as he already found it difficult to speak normally.

And since when had he called her by name? Her beloved little brother had always called her his 'Nee-chan'. Adorable as it was, he should've grown out of it by now. How would he impress old man Hendricks' daughter Emma-san if he kept up such a childish demeanor?

Ah, but maybe he'd win her over with his noble heart and stubborn outlook to do what was right and just.

Iselda's heart chuckled. Her brother was never that smart to begin with, but he made up for it with his stubborn streak. So many times, she would scold him for it, but never once did she ever say she disliked his steadfast and simple behavior. If anything, she was proud of him despite his faults.

'A shame… I won't be able to see him grow up to become a proper man…'

Time slowly resumed. The volume returned to her ears as she slowly realized it was rabbit mask that was crying out. But what did it matter when she was about to die?

Sending him a smile, she offered her thanks and an unspoken wish for him to fulfill. 'Save my brother, at least…'

The blade struck.

BOOM CLANG

It bit deep into stone.

"Eh?! What the hell?!" Exactly what Iselda would've asked, if a little less crass. The nobleman, however, held no such respect as he tried to withdraw the blade by tugging hard. "DAMMIT! What is this?!"

Cursing with even a foot on the pillar that erupted from the ground, he struggled to free his weapon. During this moment, Iselda collapsed to the floor before him. She should've been at his mercy, but he was too frustrated and frantic to even notice her.

"Oy, Kuro Usagi! Up! UP!" A voice cried out from the side, but by then, everything was moving too fast for her too realize what was going on.

BOOM BOOM BOOM

Another object burst from the ground. This time, multiple stone spires jutted out, caging her like bars but also separating her from her would be attacker.

BOOOOOM

From beyond the stone cage, another spire grew out of the ground beneath rabbit mask. But unlike the ones protecting her, his was more of a foothold, flat on top and swiftly jutting directly under his feet that it allowed him to leap atop it. The unorthodox escape from the brute's grasp, a success.

"Fuck, Conner! Kill him! Craig, get the boy!"

"On it, boss!"

That response that came from behind her caused her skin to crawl. 'Leo!'

She saw one of the men rabbit mask knocked out before, the one he kicked in the jaw, as he rushed towards Leo's prone position. The boy hadn't given up and was trying all he could to struggle up on his feet. She knew it would be too late and, even if he was able to stand, he wouldn't be able to fight back in his state.

'No,' she thought as she tried to run but tripped. The knife she'd stolen slipped skidded ahead of her, but she couldn't bring her feet up in time to dash forward. 'Not again!'

"LEO!"

The moments ticked by, but as time slowed once again, she realized immediately that even if she was able to get up, she wouldn't be able to stop him. Too weak. Too powerless. She watched it all with outstretched hands and a silent scream.

She would've knelt in prayer again, demanded god to answer her, even a demon would do. So long as her brother was saved, she didn't care who. She need not have bothered lowering herself so.

_"__Rend the skies, seas, and lands. Blast them away, from my friends, with thy hands. Howl as a maddened beast. Sound the horns of heaven!"_

For where there was one to save her and another to save her savior, the third would make sure no one else got caught.

_"__With my hands as your guide, I command thee, Tornado!"_

WHOOOOOOOOOOOSH

"SHIT! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SHIIIIT—?!"

The blast of air suddenly tore over Iselda's head as it struck and carried the adventurer away, away from her brother and into his nobleman leader. The pair crashed into each other, but the wind didn't let up. Instead, it twirled and arced, picking up trash and debris, even the other still-unconscious adventurer rabbit mask knocked out. All to pelt them at the duo.

"What the hell is going on!" was all the scared-shitless noble could scream over the roar of the wind.

CLUNK "UGAH!" THUD

"It seems my cavalry has arrived." From beyond the stone pillars she used as a cover to weather the sudden and quickly-dispersing storm, Iselda saw rabbit mask as he stood victoriously atop the unconscious form of his captor. A long-handled crystalline mace of his own in hand with the striking end sitting next to the white-eyeballed brute. "Well, with this ogre out of the way, I wonder what shall we do about you?"

Looking over the noble and his last conscious and whimpering crony, rabbit mask planted his new weapon pommel first into the dirt between the cowed man's legs.

THUNK

Unlike the armored barbarian's, his mace didn't resemble a weapon at all. It looked more like a decorative centerpiece than anything she'd ever seen in the palace. That even including those ceremonial weapons and the Pope's Divine Attire that was used only during the most holy of ceremonies.

A muddy green shaft had a color that seemed to be a mix of stone, mineral, dirt, and whatever plant life grew from the earth. On purpose or not, it resembled either a stem or a gardening post that vined plants used to climb and bloom. The guards and handle grips to the war-hammer-like weapon resembled leaves and thorns, all leading up to a head that resembled a round, multi-petalled red flower.

Planted in the middle of the road, the weapon looked to have bloomed amidst the ruined battlefield.

"What the hell is that weapon?!" whimpered the noble as he struggled to his feet and failed, sliding back onto his rear in fear. "What the hell are you—?!"

"Answering any of your questions isn't my obligation," interrupted the rabbit mask. Glaring down from his absolute victory brought about by some supernatural phenomenon, the noble froze stiff under his eyes unable to cry out any longer. Even as the gaze softened. "But, no harm in such. As I've said before, 'curiosity isn't a crime'. But what you did is. Now stay still before I bludgeon you. It'd be a shame for these beautiful red petals to grow any darker."

"HIIIII!" squealing away but not getting up to run, the once terrifying nobleman sobbed as a crumple on the floor, hiding his head under his arms, forehead on the floor. Satisfied with his intimidation, rabbit mask walked past the whimpering nobleman. He even walked around the stone spires that stood tall to protect Iselda.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a quiet voice as if he was holding his breath.

BADUMP

Her heart thumped once.

BADUMP

Then twice.

It was proof that she was alive.

'Alive… how strange.' For a second there, she felt that she shouldn't even be.

"Nee-chan?" before she even realized, Leo was propped up next to her, crying in her shoulders. "Nee-chan!"

"A-ah…" she tried and failed to speak. Her voice was lost that it took a while to return.

"I… I," her brother as well. Try as he might, he couldn't breathe, speak, and cry all at once. Sniffling, he finally conveyed his words, cries wetting her shoulder. "I thought I lost you!"

"Leo?" she moved to touch his hair. So blonde, just like their mother's. 'Mother?' Ah, right, she had one of those, didn't she? 'When was the last time I saw her again?'

Iselda couldn't remember. She was too tired. Too exhausted. The thumping in her temple wasn't helping any either. When she moved to touch it, to see if she'd hit her head, her fingers had brushed past her cheeks, getting wet in the process.

'Eh?' her hand drew back. 'Tears?'

She was crying? Iselda hadn't realized since when. But now that she did, she couldn't hold it back. The breath she didn't know she held escaped in wheezes before she let go of it entirely. Her brother continued to do so on her shoulder as well, fear for having nearly lost each other settling in both.

"Haaah, looks like you're fine." Releasing the sigh, rabbit mask smiled in relief. Whether it was for her sake or his own, she couldn't tell amidst her and Leo's wails.

"What exactly about this is 'fine' to you?!" a new voice entered the fray. Muffled and angry, the female voice hissed back from behind the stone spires. "You'd just gotten here and you pick _this_ of all things to rush towards?! After just—?"

"Quiet down already, Slowpoke. He's fine. They're fine." A second new arrival spoke up. Although sounding more muffled than the first, Iselda recognized it as belonging to a male. He seemed more nervous than his upbeat attitude let on. "No need to get so antsy over everything. Just let it go, will ya—?"

"I will _NOT_ let this go, Idiot!" the first one hissed back. "He could've been hurt! Again! When will you start thinking about how this affects us? What do you think's going to happen when Ai—!"

"Maa, maa, let's calm down now, you two." A carefree third merrily interrupted, seemingly to stop the earlier pair from arguing further. "We don't want to alarm them, right? And besides, he has good reason for being here. It's not like Y—Usagi-kun ran out on us just to get us in trouble, right?"

"No, I didn't." Rabbit mask's voice came back into play. And after a subtle head rubbing for both siblings, he spoke with a sigh to his companions. The mask not able to hide his honesty. "Haaah… I'm sorry for leaving you guys earlier. I… well, _I_ don't know what came over me, but I promise to make it up to you. For now though, help me out here. Please."

The other strangers didn't seem to want to argue, but as Iselda's wails of relief started to dry up, she sensed that the new people didn't seem to want to just agree either.

"… What would you have us do?" After a moment of silence, a fourth one spoke up. Quiet, male, and standing behind Leo. He's probably been the one to carry her brother here, otherwise, the boy wouldn't have been able to reach her so soon by crawling on his own.

"You go scout ahead. I need eyes up top. Remember our prearranged perimeter plan?" Iselda didn't hear a response, but judging by the quiet and lack of explanation, he did. A moment later, she felt a presence that should have been there disappear at the sound of dirt crumpling underfoot. "Right, while he's out, let's get to work. Shiro Majo, I need these two patched up."

"… Fine…" The first responded. "But you owe us one. Got it? No more of this… this—"

"I know." Rabbit mask cut her off. "I promised the boss up top as well. So please. Just this once."

"Alright. Alright already." She seemed hesitant, frustrated, afraid and more. But it settled on 'anger' as she shouted from behind Iselda. "Just healing magic, right?"

"Yeah. Take your time, but not too long. We don't want to be seen here," the sound of dirt crunching signaled a pause in his step. "Thanks. For this."

"Yeah, whatever… Idiot…"

Moving on and leaving them to the frustrated female, rabbit mask continued giving the others their orders. He called other names. Kuro Majo. Doro Majo. Renkinjutsu-shi. Kishi. None of the names made any sense to Iselda. But she didn't let it bother her.

As she held tightly to the family she nearly lost, she kept her hand atop his head, lowering his gaze to her back and the stone spires behind her. She too kept her gaze averted, to not see who else was there or what they were doing. Even when a warm feeling enveloped her and Leo, a dim light igniting against her shut eyelids, neither moved a muscle.

"Keep still," the one called 'Shiro Majo' whispered. "You were hurt badly, but it's nothing as long as you stay put, okay?"

She felt Leo nod in response. Throughout the entire process, neither made to look at their saviors. Maybe out of respect. But it may have also been out of fear that they may turn into their new captors.

Still, Iselda felt they could trust them and let it be. And for a while, she did.

"Kishi, eyes on the big one. He's more dangerous than fancy pants over there."

"What did you call—" THUD "Nevermind! Please don't hurt me!"

A clink of armor replied as an affirmation while a dull thud of something striking ground nearby silenced the whimpers.

"Just to be sure, Doro Majo?"

"Yo?" answered the male besides rabbit mask.

"Bury them shoulder-deep. Not anything too hard or sturdy. Just enough to prevent escape and allow for the garrison soldiers to dig them out and apprehend them."

"You got it, E-Kuro-chi!"

"Mm," an exhale escaped what should've been the exhausted rabbit mask before he called out. "Renkinjutsu-shi! How does it look?"

"Nuo Puroburem! Oru Ahreesu Aru Warudo Apu!" Answering from afar, the second male to speak sounded even more muffled than the others. But even if it was clear, Iselda thought it too unintelligible to comprehend.

"Ha-Renkin-chi, why the broken Ego?!"

"Shatu Apu! Canotu Bee Recogunaisu! Rememba?!"

Iselda gave up on trying to understand. Whatever they were saying, it didn't concern her. Or at least, shouldn't. If they wanted to hide their identities, so be it.

"Maa, Renkin-kun's broken language aside, Usagi-kun, I've cleaned up the traces."

"Thank you, Kuro Majo. Did Renkin-kun's modifications help?"

"Mhm! Though I wish you'd give me some time to practice beforehand next time. Trying to do it slowly so as to not make too much noise is a real hassle!" The cheeriness in her voice didn't falter once though she complained. "Then again, all I did was bury the trash so maybe have Doro-kun help me next time! You don't mind, nee~ Shiro-chan?"

"Haaah? Why should I mind?" The healing paused for a second before the woman's frantic chant resumed. From her mutterings alone, Iselda wondered if she was flustered about something. "Stupid… ao-chan…. Always does this… idiot… jerk…. should I care?"

"Shiro Majo, done yet?"

"Almost. Give me a sec… there! That should do for now." The woman tapped their shoulders, but neither made to move or open their eyes. Leo almost did, but Iselda kept him locked in her embrace. "Hey, you can look now, you know?"

When they still refused to do so, a chuckle from rabbit mask and his words convinced them to. "It's alright, you two. We've prepared on our end. So you can open them now."

When they did, the siblings first looked to each other. Spotless, they were not. After crawling, running and crying as they sat in the mud for a while, there was no way they'd be considered the picture of cleanliness. The upside was that Leo's bruises were all gone. And even the scratches she got were closed and healed. Besides being a little sweaty and covered in mud, there'd been evidence little left from his earlier scuffle. Iselda was just the same.

It could also be said for their surroundings. Both had to blink twice, maybe thrice. After all, neither could believe the previous carnage could just disappear without a trace.

And yet it had.

Gone were the spires that jutted around them, leaving the road clear and flat. It was even devoid of its puddle holes like a newly paved road. The path the torrent of air ravaged through the earth and alleys was devoid of debris or trash. All was tidy, even the alleyways themselves. Not a single broken crate or basket fragment remained. Granted, not even a single crate remained, broken or otherwise.

The only difference was the new walls that blocked every alley leading into the marketplace including the one Iselda had slipped through earlier, the four heads sticking out in the middle of the road, and a giant red flower, precariously stood slightly tilted to the side, directly behind the noble's head.

"Alright. Conditions have been cleared. So is the place. Once Ansatsu gives the signal, we'll be gone from here. Horaud's garrison soldiers will arrive, and after they'd given their testimonies, those four will be locked away."

After taking in the new scenery they found themselves in, Iselda and Leo both looked to their saviors. Rabbit mask was still there, breathing heavily with his arms crossed, he surveyed the area while he rested. But he wasn't alone.

Nearest them, the one they guessed was called Shiro Majo, wore white robes, complete with a hood, that enveloped her entire body, save for the knees down and her face. Only boots were visible on the former, but the latter was covered entirely by a mask. Shaped in a cross, the horizontal line was drawn across where her eyes should be.

The other girl, Kuro Majo, stood next to Shiro similarly dressed in robes, but entirely black and reached all the way to her ankles. Her mask was more complex with crosses for eyes and a curved smile for her mouth. It reminded Iselda of a jester's makeup.

"Kuro-chi, are you sure about all this?" Doro Majo, recognized by his upbeat tone alone, was dressed in a dark brown cloak that had slits open for his arms. She could see a staff or maybe a rod decorated in orange hidden under but averted her gaze to his mask. It was less of one as it enveloped his entire head and thinly made of a type of stone. It had two horizontal slits for eyes and an even thicker one in the shape of a rectangle for his mouth. "I don't think we should even be hiding. Is this really necessary?"

"Considering how I'm in deep trouble already with the big boss? Yes." Rabbit mask sighed but kept hid smile wry in response. "And with you all supposedly keeping an eye on me, no doubt the big one will take it out on you as well."

"It's still your fault we're in this mess!"

"My apologies. I promise to make it up to you, Shiro, and I will. For now, however, until we finish up here, please bear with my selfishness."

'Selfishness'. Human selfishness. Iselda, through all the mess that life had thrown at her until now, that word was the worst of all. It had brought about her indecision. It had also caused her this misfortune. And for that, she should've been mad.

But she wasn't. Because, through someone's selfishness, her brother was saved. She was saved.

"I thank you for saving us." She couldn't help but lower her face to the ground. Kiss it even, now that it was cleaned to perfection. "You saved my brother and even myself. Even if you had no obligation to… I… I…" her tears started to return. Wiping them aside, she sniffed. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Thank you… sniff… so much for saving my family!"

"Raise your head." Rabbit mask's tone was commanding, but it wasn't an order. "Thankful as you may be, the ground is not who should be receiving a grateful smile as beautiful as yours." She did raise her head, but as soon as she did, a piece of clean cloth came into view. Rabbit mask was offering her a handkerchief. "Better clean yourself up a little or the town guard may not take you seriously when you offer a testimony."

She did just that. With tears streaking down her cheeks, it wasn't hard to get her face spotless. She was so relieved that she accidentally did the same for Leo out of habit.

"Uwaaaah, I think we should rename Usagi-kun to 'Playboy-kun'."

"Eh, it matches the logo. Why not?"

"Pfft…"

Iselda thought she saw the rabbit mask roll his eyes at the three Majo but didn't retort. Instead, he continued to talk to them. "So, what do the two of you plan on doing after?"

"Eh?"

"Horrraaaa? Playboy-kun it is." "Uwaaaah!" "Nee~, should we tell Ansatsu-chin about—"

"Doro-san." Rabbit mask's tone became eerily cold. His smile was twitching and strained. "Do so and I shall bury you like I requested you do the four. However, it'll be your feet and not your head sticking out of the ground."

The stone-helmeted Doro Majo flinched while the other Majo, Shiro and Kuro, chuckled in his expense.

The rabbit masked sighed before returning his attention to them. "I was asking because I'm worried. Four rowdy adventurers may be one thing, but as this town is a gathering hub for such, I worry that you would get into trouble with more of them."

"No, I don't think we will be," Iselda responded. "This town… it's our hometown. We know it doesn't look like much in some places…" as her gaze faltered a bit, theirs surveyed the surrounding slums. Barren and clean as they may be, it was still odd that no one was around. But considering the mayhem that went down, any and all bystanders must've thought better than to return for now. "But it's a good town!, I swear. The slums may be questionable, but its far safer in the main streets."

"I would still question why those four would even dare commit a crime." Rabbit mask's gaze lingered over the four heads nearby but not for long.

"That was my fault, sir." Leo answered.

"Leo?"

"It's alright, Nee-chan." The boy made to reassure her, but he still trembled in her arms. Though he was no longer a young child, he was still small enough to fit her embrace. Nodding to his older sister, however, he tried to make a brave face. "Like you heard before… they tried to harass my boss… and his family. I couldn't let them go free. So I tried to…" he trailed off.

"'Harass them back', I take it?"

"No, I—"

"Ahahah! Worry not, child." The tall man kneeled down with a hearty chuckle. "As I've said, I do approve of your feelings. Not letting someone get away with their injustice is correct." Rubbing his head, Kuro Usagi sounded amused, accepting even. "But you should work on your methods in doing so. A child as brave as you, I respect. But that recklessness of yours can hurt others. Your sister for one." Leo seemed to balk at that. "You had her worried by putting yourself in harm's way. And in turn, she too was brought into danger."

"I-I… I'm sorry…"

"Apologizing to _me_ won't do, would it?" Shaking his own rabbit masked head, he released Leo's with a final pat.

"I'm sorry… Nee-chan…"

Iselda didn't respond. Instead, she held her little brother closer. Tighter, while nuzzling his hair under her chin. A silent forgiveness as it was, she knew he understood to never do such again.

"To risk yourself is to earn the concern of those who care for you." He added quietly. "You'd do well to think before you act lest you do more than worry them."

"Look who's talking," butting in, Shiro Majo scoffed.

"Why, Shiro, is that admission that you were worried for me?" Kuro Usagi, however, took it in stride and spoke with teasing surprise.

"Of course I was, idiot!"

"GUHO!"

"Do you know how much we were worried before this? You already nearly died! What am I supposed to feel if you put yourself at risk for someone else?"

"GAH!"

"Shiro-chan," Kuro spoke up, sounding cheery but just as dry beneath her mask. "Were you really that worried about Usagi-kun?"

"Of course I was!"— "GUAH!"—"Urusai, Baka Doro! Weren't you just as worried as well? God, I nearly lost sleep because of you!"

"AAAAGH!" Doro Majo kneeled, clutching what appeared to be his aching chest.

"Shiro-chan. Please choose your words… You're killing Doro-kun."

"Doro Majo, you doing okay there?" Rabbit mask said with a smirk.

"Go to hell, Playboy-chi!"

Iselda thought this scene looked familiar somewhere but couldn't place it. Leo, on the other hand, caught something of note.

"Usagi…-san?" Getting the attention of the chuckling man, her little brother paused but continued. "Did you risk yourself to save someone else before? Like how I did?"

"… Yeah, I did…" he seemed to pause before outright deflating.

"Where you… weak… like I was too?"

"Why would you ask?"

"I want to know." Leo hesitated but pressed after breathing in deep. "I want to know how you got stronger."

"'Stronger', you say?" the smile had all but vanished, replaced by apparent disbelief, then again, with a joking smirk. "You do realized I got myself beaten and nearly lost in the end, don't you?"

Leo looked disappointed at the response. Like he knew he was looking for his answer in the wrong place but couldn't believe it.

"Why do you want to grow stronger, boy?" Rabbit mask asked. The trio behind him had all quieted down, observing the exchange through their masks. "Is it to be able to beat them the next time it happens? To be able to win, regardless of the reason why you fought in the first place—"

"No! I—" Leo almost shouted. "No. I want to… to be able to protect the people I care about… with my own strength."

"Heh, you don't need to get stronger for that, kid. All you have to do is keep your head down and stay out of trouble."

A reasonable response, Iselda noted. It had worked for those who lived in the slums and didn't bother with them. Though she felt frustrated they did, she couldn't fault them for doing so.

Had it not been Leo being beaten, she might've just run back through the alley and forgotten what she saw.

"But," rabbit mask, observing the hardened expression on Leo's face, continued. "If you really do want to be able to protect others. The best I can tell you to do is to make some friends."

"Eh?" Leo balked yet again. He must've been expecting some training advice or similar. "How can friends help me? What if they're just as weak as me?"

"Then all the more you should be friends with them. After all," Kuro Usagi stood up with a warm smile. "It wasn't me who saved your sister, or you, at the last moment. It was thanks to my friends being there for me." His warm smile to the three masked trio, and the two in the distance, reached his ears. Or the edge of the mask, in this case. "Without them, I'm just another weakling."

"You got that right."

"Anytime, Kuro-chi."

"Haaah, sad to say though, we can't help you're Playboy-side, Usagi-kun."

"Oy!"

The three burst out laughing. And judging by how he grinned at their amusement, the rabbit mask didn't seem that much offended. Iselda might even say he was having fun.

"Did you have a time when you didn't have friends to help you?"

"…"

It was an innocent question from Leo. Quite normal to ask seeing as her little brother looked to be starting to idolize this stranger that was their savior. But said savior's smile quickly faded to nothingness, replaced by a cold silence and a hard stare that went past her brother's head. Iselda wondered if there was a story there.

PING

But before she could hear him reply, his attention turned to the sky.

PING PING

All of a sudden, he'd begun to grit his teeth under the mask.

"Dammit," shaking his head, he stood straight and turned to the three behind him. "This is bad."

"Hm?" "Eh?" "What's up?"

"Ansatsu gave the signal." What should have been relieving to hear did not feel so. Whatever she could catch of the tense expression under rabbit's mask did not bode well.

"Isn't that the idea? We should be leaving now, right?" the others however seemed to have missed the point.

"We should… but it's too soon!"

"Eh, but wasn't that what you had Ansatsu go on ahead for? To warn us ahead of time?"

"I told him to ready two signals. Once for when they were coming and twice when they're at the minimum distance that gives us ample time to retreat." The atmosphere dropped several degrees. "Anstatsu's already signaled the latter."

"""Eh…?!"""

Following his seemingly confused gaze, Iselda couldn't see what he was panicking about.

"This isn't right… I was sure there were no… patrols… nearby…?"

"Ano, Usagi-kun?"

"Unless… eh, the knights? … shit! Why didn't you—?!"

"Kuro-chi?! What's going on? What knights?!"

"Kuh! Those aren't the militia or garrison patrols. The first-responders are knights from the Order mixed in—shit! KISHI!"

The panicked cry was thrown across the road. A clink directed the siblings' eyesight to a tall mass covered in a dark ratty cloak. Underneath, they noted the full-body armor that did little to slow him down. His mask, if you could call it that, was a faceplate that had two dots for eyes and a thin slit for a mouth. The expression made for the most neutrally comical of the bunch as he made to salute in their direction, awaiting orders.

"Grab Renkin-kun and his Rose Mace! The Knight Order's reacting. We're moving to Plan B! We need to get out before M—the Knight Commander knows we're here! Go!"

The hulking mass paused before nodding. The clinking of metal didn't stop even as he pulled the flower weapon out of the ground and picked up their last present member, one who wore a stonelike mask with fake white hair, crimson-lined eye sockets, and no mouth.

"Eh, ah, o-oy?! Huwatu? Hwea we goween?" The expressionless face didn't express the same uncertainty that was in the male's voice as he continued with his confusing speech.

"You three, go on ahead after them."

"Ehh? But…" "Wait, why are the knights coming?" "Yeah! I thought they were on break when—"

"They were mixed in with the garrison as soon as they arrived." The air stilled at his immediate reply. "They're reinforcing this place's security starting today. Dammit! _I_ forgot to _note that_!" Rabbit mask started pacing around. With her savior in an uncharacteristic panic, Iselda didn't know what else to do but keep her silence. "If _he _finds out, then_ she_ might as well! Considering _what_ we've been doing, what _we _as a party _shouldn't_ be doing, we're in trouble the moment they find us _here_!"

"""…. EEEEEEEEEHHHHH?!""" The Majo trio, coming to a realization of the meaning of his words, all descended into frantic panic. Hands atop their masks, they began to scream.

"Not good. Not good! Isn't that bad news?!" "Ah, we're in deep shit with Ai-A-A-A—Akuma-chi if she finds us!" "Enough panicking! Usagi-kun, what do we do?!"

"Escape Plan E. 'Smoke Curtain'. Blast it as high and wide as you can in the alleyways. That should cover enough ground to give you guys time to change without disturbing too many areas or people." The black rabbit mask seemed to falter slightly as he pulled the leather down and tightened the knot on the back. "Dump your disguises. Bury them where no one will think to look. We meet up where I left you. If anyone else meets you before I rendezvous with you guys, story's that Ansatsu and I wondered off. We were out in town, then the smoke blew up and we returned to where we're staying. Play dumb if the guards find you. Even better, you report to _him_ about the strange happening. Understood?"

The trio initially hesitated before the Doro Majo nodded first and moved followed along by Kuro Majo. Shiro Majo didn't nod but chased after the others anyways, cursing under her breath.

"Oy, Kuro Usagi?! Are we really going for that?!" the one called Renkin-something-or-other, stopped with the incoherent rambling and shouted back over Kishi's shoulder. "Isn't this overkill? Even if it isn't, I don't think we can convince _him_ as easily as you can!"

"Then don't try. The best lie is half-truths. If we don't meet up soon after, say you're ready to help if needs be. Act interested in what happened but don't do anything until he tells you to. Don't play Baka-Yuusha and charge in without question. Just play your part. The weak don't pry until absolutely necessary."

"What about you?"

"The knights are nervous. They'll pursue our trail if we don't shake them off first. I'll be distracting them until you can fully launch the mist cloud. Remember our test runs?!"

"… Alright… … Good luck."

Iselda hid her brother in her arms the entire time as panic fueled the others to run ahead, leaving her alone with a slightly jittery rabbit mask, Leo, and the equally confused but unimportant four stooges buried in the road. Unaware as to what was exactly happening, she didn't know whether to ask or not.

But ask she did.

"K-Kuro Usagi-sama, what's going on?"

"The Knight Order's been mixed amongst the town guard. Dammit, I forgot they were on high alert after that incident in the palace!"

Though she didn't understand how he would've gotten that confidential information, she kept her tongue at the straightforward response. What he knew and how he knew it was his business. As someone he saved, she should respect that.

But that was his circumstance.

On the other hand maybe notifying the now-suspicious rabbit-masked man about her relation to the palace, or worse, to the Apostles, wasn't a good idea. Her family's savior he may be, she couldn't just publicize the fact that she was linked to the Apostles lest she risk jeopardizing them as well.

She couldn't do that to _him_. Not after she'd already made up her mind to pay him back for all he'd done.

"I'm going to ask you to play along, alright?" suddenly getting the frantic rabbit mask kneeling next to her, Iselda almost jumped. She didn't want to suspect him or his colleagues for anything shady, but with how they were getting all nervous at the mention of the knights, and whoever this big boss of theirs was, she didn't think it was anything good. That didn't stop her franticly nodding in cooperation. "Good. I don't want you to do much. Just follow my instructions. I promise you won't be hurt. If worst comes to worst, pretend you don't know me and return home."

Iselda's mind screamed 'no' as it would go against repaying her debt to the rabbit mask as well. But despite the contradiction of morals in repaying a favor by willfully denying her chance to escape, and maybe even vouch for, the shady person, she simply nodded back.

'What sort of person did I allow myself to be indebted to?'

Her confused question remained unanswered as the sound of metal armor approached and the knights rounded the far unsealed alley.

* * *

They heard reports of a disturbance in the slums district. Petty thievery, a domestic squabble, or maybe a mugging gone wrong. Whatever the case it might've been, the town's garrison would've been able to handle it. While most of its members weren't as disciplined as the knights and army, they were still capable people. Their captain was able to keep things together too, seeing as he was a former knight and comrade-in-arms of their respectable Knight Commander.

Even if that wasn't the case, Alan didn't think they would be troubled over something as simple as street crimes. This town's people and guards had been trained to handle trouble up to the extent of monster horde emergencies. It was a town with a local Great Labyrinth after all. Should an incident like monsters attacking the walls, or the opposite, monsters trying to escape the Labyrinth, happen, they'd be well prepared to deal with anything less than that.

When the reports stated loud explosions, rumbling earth and howling gale force winds, that had the young spear-wielding knight sweating nervously.

Commander Meld had briefed them all on their purpose for being brought along to the Labyrinth town with the Apostles. It was their duty to safeguard Ehito-sama's chosen as they trained to grow stronger to face the demons. But what had been originally a six to ten-man escort plan jumped to almost a hundred chosen elites. The only reason they didn't get all the way that high was due to the lacking budget for supplies and transport fees.

Changing from the original plan, extra security costs prevented mobilization of too many men. Making do with what they had, Commander Meld had given the order to use the Order's personal assets, horses and rations for the journey.

The demons were on the move. That much was clear from their recent attempt on the Apostle's life. Manipulation magic was a detestable thing. To have one's companion slay another under false pretenses, and against their own will? Alan would never forgive the ones responsible for Nagumo-sama's near-demise.

As knights, they were to keep an eye out for the Apostles. And should something happen, like that time Yamamoto-sama was isolated and almost killed protecting the innocents, then they as the soldiers of Heiligh Kingdom, should be prepared to give their lives to keep the hopes of the world safe.

Alan knew the Commander didn't want to lose a single man. Carefree as he may be, the casual leader cared for his subordinates as he would family. Be it on the battlefield or off it. It was why everyone adored him and followed his orders to the letter. It was why they were even treating a demi-human with care, despite the priest's threats to have them excommunicated.

They knew their commander had reasons for doing so. As he hadn't abandoned them in their time of service, they wouldn't him. That applied here as well.

Should they lose one of the symbols to rally the humans against the demons, not just the kingdom, but the entirety of humanity will have felt the blow. As their leader, Commander Meld had asked for them to deny this mission if they believed it too much for their pay.

Alan felt a small sense of pride when none did. Hell, he was close to dying of laughter when their dear Commander was swamped with volunteer requests to join the security detail for the Apostles.

'If demons really do plan on taking them out this early,' the young knight grit his teeth as he rounded the corner. 'They must not be allowed near the Apostles—!'

"A good day to you all, Knight Order of Heiligh! It's a really pleasant afternoon for a stroll, wouldn't you say?"

Standing ahead of them, surrounded in a light cloud of dust and smoke, a figure bowed in respect. Well-dressed despite a few smudges and tears on his coat. Finely articulating and polite. What's more, seemingly innocent in that he wasn't even surprised by, or may have been expecting, the armed group of peacekeepers that arrived.

All the while wearing what appeared to be a ruined leather rabbit mask, standing in open-space half-shrouded in a foggy mist slowly encroaching the street and weirdly so, as if magical in nature, holding two children, one on each side, as if they were hostages, and smiling with glee as he faced down ten knights, hands at the ready to draw blades at a moment's notice.

It made for the unpleasant standoff that Alan dreaded it would be.

'No wait, calm down!' the knight withheld any would-be assumptions. 'I can't judge and act outright without proof that he's actually a demon.'

The stranger might not even be one was actually just a passerby who came around to assist. The mask could be explained as an obvious attempt to hide his identity. Perhaps he just didn't want any trouble. Or maybe revealing said identity could cause trouble for his personal life.

That or he could be a runaway demi-human slave attempting to take hostages. The ears of the mask may have been bent out of shape, but it still covered most of his face that even a lizardman, tigerman, or wolfman could hide their appendages.

Or, worse, maybe he was a demon whimsically pretend-hiding as they scouted the town.

"Hold!" Alan ordered his fellows from the Order, hand gripped tightly into nervous fists at his side before slowly stepping forward. It wouldn't do to act alarmingly when the masked stranger had yet to do anything wrong. Overtly at least. "I am the Knight Officer, Alan Somis. We heard there was a disturbance in this area. Would you answer a few questions for us? Sir?"

"Hmm," with a finger to his chin, the man paused before shrugging. "I suppose I can. What would you like to know?"

"How about a name?"

A moment of silence, as he wouldn't actually give his true name if the mask was meant to serve its purpose. Then a light response. "… Oz."

"Oz?"

Alan didn't recognize the name as a human's or from a similar origin. Then again, he hadn't been around the world to be sure every human culture didn't have such a name. It may even be a nickname.

If it were a demon or demi-human however… Alan shook his head, trying not to be distracted.

"Then, Sir Oz. Was there anything strange occurring here when you came by?"

"Hmmm… I haven't heard of such happenings around these parts. I've just entered the town today." Alan made note to check the garrison's gate records. False it may be, if there was a slight chance it wasn't, they could try find a lead there. "Do tell, Sir Knight, what exactly was reported? Perhaps, I could be of help clarifying?"

'He's probing.'

Alan noted that the suspicious individual calling himself 'Oz' was trying to find out what he knew. That might've been normal, had he considered the masked man to be anything but. Still, he needed to respond. The other knights that accompanied him had begun to grow wary, considering how quiet it was for this place to be during the afternoon.

Slums were dumps, but Alan was aware such seedy places would surely have more than a couple of street children running around or drunks lazing about.

"We were told there was a group of adventurers causing trouble around here," Alan opted for the original report. If anything, to put the stranger at ease as he and the others slowly moved forward. "The witnesses stated four men had been assaulting two children."

"I see… Is that so?" the masked man slowly tapped his arms on the two children's shoulders as he leaned down to whisper something to both of them. Once he got nervous nods from both, he stood back up and waved one of his hand into the air. "Might you mean these adventurers?!"

Without so much as a warning, magical chant, or anything, the mist slowly split apart. However…

'As I thought, magical in nature—Nah!?'

"Ngh!" "Wha—?!" "What the hell?!"

Alan and the escort knights were all taken aback. The rippling mist retreated slightly to reveal four heads arrayed across the middle of the road. Three of them had the whites of their eyes showing as blood escaped their lips and noses. One of which had a large stain of red coming from the bruise atop his head.

"P-p-p-please…!" A fourth located on the center left, seemingly still alive despite the state of the other three, frothed at the mouth as it stuttered words. It's eyes were stuck frozen in a fearful expression. "H-h-h-h-help m-m-m-me—!"

"I believe these are who you're looking for?" the masked man interrupted the talking head.

"W-what did you do to them?!" Alan demanded under his breath. Though he couldn't see well due to the mist, it was enough to make his blood seethe from the horrible sight.

"I found these four despicable brutes attacking these two children. So I took care of (killed) them for you!"

Nonchalantly admitting it, the masked man caressed the hair of the two at his side. He sounded proud of his accomplishment, but the taunting smile told Alan he was amused. The children looked uncomfortable, and dare Alan assume, shivering in fear.

He wouldn't see it as them being relieved of finally getting over the ordeal of being attacked. No. Alan would never think as much when his sights saw their savior as the true potential danger.

"I must say, the law enforcement in this town seems a bit lacking." The masked man named Oz huffed incredulously. To Alan, it sounded mocking. "Not only was I able to enter without incident(or being found out), you'd even allow such lowly creatures(humans) such as these to come waltzing right in. I daresay, your people's (country's) security is lacking! Really now… I expected more from the best this country has to offer—"

THUNK

"Draw swords!"

SHING SHING CLANG

Alan didn't bother hearing the rest of the strange man's excuses or words as he and the others drew their weapons. Rasps of steel, clangs of swords and maces atop shields.

"By the Knight Order of Heiligh and the Church of Saints," his favored spear's shaft tip slammed the road hard as he pointed at the undeniably suspicious individual before them. "You are under arrest as a suspect for murder, Sir Oz!"

"M-murder, you say? But I took care of your problem, have I not?" The masked man tilted his head, seeming to be genuinely confused by their reaction. "Is this seriously how you handle a little help offered to you? Not even a hint of investigation before declaring judgement—!"

"I'm warning you!" Alan didn't relent, not wanting to take chances. Having heard the follow-up report of a suspicious person wielding powerful wind magic, the one before him capable of manipulating the mist that swarmed around him more than set off all the experienced knight's alarm bells. "Let those children go, otherwise, I and my colleagues will have to remove you through the use of force!"

At first, the masked man didn't move, seemingly stock still out of confusion. But after he leaned forward to whisper something to the children, his gracious smile returned, albeit more subdued now, as he addressed the knight once more. "Very well, Sir Knight. I shall… as you say, 'release'… these children. On the condition that you come forth to claim them yourself."

"Alan-san," Jeffreys, a junior knight and loyal subordinate of Alan's for several years now, called out a warning. "It could be a trap. I know it's presumptuous of me but let me do it in your place."

Alan considered it. But if the individual before them was really a demon, was there any purpose in having one? Demons were powerful. Nightmarishly so. Should one wish it, they wouldn't need to fight head-on and instead bombard them with spells from afar. If they were being serious, ten men in a single corner of town was nothing to one of them.

And if Oz was the supposed-master of wind magic that could control the mist, they might as well be in a disadvantage with hostages in play.

"What's wrong. Is the condition too much?" Oz sounded curious. Or taunting. "Or do you wish I let them come to you instead?"

'And leave them vulnerable to a back attack on their way?' Alan gripped the shaft of his spear tightly. Protecting the people came first, but with how inexperienced he was in facing a demon, he didn't want to take the risk. 'If only Commander Meld was…'

Breathing in, Alan shook away his self-doubt. His Commander wasn't here. But he was. If it was a knight's duty to protect, he should carry it out. Hesitation or doubt was not needed here.

"What's the catch here?" he decided to be direct. Not that it would reveal anything besides the obvious suspicion they already had of him. But it would at least give him an idea should the suspicious man entertain the idea.

"No catch. I merely refuse to allow harm to befall the young. Consider it my… pragmatism." Said with such a carefree attitude, it hardly painted a reassuring image should there actually be a trap. "It wouldn't do to have the future of the nation to be at risk, now would it?"

'No,' Alan agreed. But for a demon to even think as much, for humans at that, what would he be after? 'Could it be possible, he's doing so for the fun of it? He wouldn't kill them now but come back for them in the future instead?!'

"What better way to ensure their safety than with your own hands?" Oz added with a slight shift in his smile as if he was pretending to be polite but failing into a smug smirk.

"Alan-san," getting impatient at his pause, Jeffreys repeated. It seemed he too was getting worried. The lives of the innocent aside, the mere fact that this suspect didn't even seem worried was troubling, demon or otherwise.

"Stand down!" Alan stabbed his spear into the ground and slowly marched forth, alone but prepared. "I'll take care of it."

The other knights looked uncertain, but not one made to refute his orders. They knew what to do should something go wrong and they weren't stupid enough to all charge in as soon as he was in danger.

Should this be their worst fears come true, at least five of the ten would split off and make a break for it to inform Commander Meld while the rest act as distractions. But if their worry was needless, they may save two lives and get the truth of the matter out of them. Lie or under manipulation magic they may be, Alan was aware that Meld would find a way to ascertain the truth.

That or they could ask Yamamoto-sama for help. As tired as the Apostle was, he knew the kind-hearted individual wouldn't leave children to suffer.

After seeing the boy's bravery and self-sacrifice, he'd inspired the knights to work even harder, thus limiting all the inexperienced Apostles' close calls throughout the rest of the journey. Alan would do well not to shirk his duty now as he did then. Another Apostle hurt would be an insult not just to their pride as citizens of their nation, but as members of their Order.

"Hoh, so you've come." The suspected demon didn't sound all that surprised. As if he expected Alan to comply.

"It's a knight's duty to protect the people."

"Indeed," the young man, now that Alan had a closer look at him, chuckled to himself. "As expected of you (humans) to observe such chivalry." Pushing the two children with a palm to their backs, the suspect ushered them on. "Go on, you two. Let the good man take care of you from here on."

The two slowly walked, hesitant to do so. But after a quick look back that the masked man returned with a nod, they complied and stepped forward together, the shorter of the pair in the taller one's arms.

"Hm? You are?" Alan had to blink twice when he noticed the faces of one of the children. The mist had slowly been growing thicker as he approached. But now that he was closer, he recognized the young woman's face. "Isel—"

The woman's worried expression turned from simple reluctance to abject shock. The sudden change was enough to silence Alan. 'Why is she here?! No, more importantly, why is she with—?!'

"ALAN-SAN, FORWARD!"

When Alan turned to glance back at the suspect, Oz had almost vanished entirely from sight as he turned tail and ran into the growing white cloud. Said clouds seem to swirl and close in around his fleeting figure.

'Drat, I was distracted!' Now that he'd thought about it, why was there such a thick mist in the middle of the slums? It wasn't even that cold or early in the morning! Something reeked of suspicion as he ordered his men to follow. "After him!"

Sparing a glance at the pair of children, he had Jeffreys and two others take them in to a nearby garrison station where they would be safe. Taking them to the main headquarters might've been for the best in terms of their safety, but Alan couldn't rule out mental manipulation magic just yet.

After the incident with Nakano-sama, they couldn't just let suspicious or risky people too close to important personnel. He might get scolded for this later, but better to separate the risk than let a probable threat be Yamamoto-sama's attendant.

That being said, the mist was thick as hell. So much so that if it wasn't for the clinking of their uniform armor, Alan wouldn't know if his knights were still following him. But he couldn't let that young man get away. Not when he exuded questionability by his actions alone.

"Split up when we come across the first intersection! Aeris, Mark, go straight ahead. Andrew, go left with Ferro. Simon, Griff, with me."

"Yes, sir!" "Got it!" "Mm." "Alright!" ""Understood!""

"Remember, we go for capture. Be careful if the target fights back. However, if he isn't alone or you deem it too dangerous to take him on, launch the signal flare spells prepared for us by Nagumo-sama. Is that clear?"

At their affirmation, the first split came into view. Three roads, left, right, and center. Each lead to either the west gate, marketplace, or the Labyrinth entrance respectively. With a nod, and a good luck to them all, they separated.

There was a reason why he brought two of the knights with him. The marketplace was the perfect place to disappear.

The gate was out of the question. Alan doubted any spy worth their mettle would go for it as soon as they could when their cover had yet to be blown. As for the Labyrinth, with all the adventurers about, it was harder to hide there if you _weren't_ equipped with a weapon or armor.

Since that young man wore black attire all over and a mask, it wasn't too difficult to assume it a simple civilian disguise he could shed as soon as he reached a crowded area. Hence the marketplace. More populous than either of the aforementioned options, it was exactly for that reason Alan knew their runaway suspect would opt towards it for an escape. As he had two others in the lookout, they might catch sight of him before he lost them in the crowd.

This mindset might've worked had they been chasing a common thief. But the rabbit-masked man named 'Oz', a common thief, he was not. Which was why when Alan remembered this fact, he felt his instincts kick in, compelling him to stop and turn back. In doing so, he hit the dirt path with a firm boot, slipping into a slide that slowed him down much to the surprise of his two other squad mates.

"What's wrong, Alan-san?"

He didn't know. But when he turned around and saw a figure attempting to hide away behind a nearby crate's shadow, he knew better than to question how his instincts knew. "Stop right there!"

"Geh!" the surprised response more than affirmed his suspicion as a rabbit-masked figure attempted to escape the way they came.

Too late. Alan was already upon him.

Knight training can be called extreme by the normal soldiers and guards. But for the elite knights who had to learn the use of all weapon types besides those they were proficient in, it was considered a simple workout, and the additional skills, a boon. Which was why, even without his trusty spear, he could fight well enough with his fists alone.

A jab to the side of the masked man's arm was deflected. The smoke-like mist dispersing but then obscuring his target yet again. Not that it mattered as he simply just closed the distance, preventing another escape from his view. Alan threw a kick to where he expected the suspect to retreat towards, upending a barrel and barring his path for a moment.

"Surrender now, Oz!" Alan demanded as his men flanked on either side, cornering the rabbit mask.

"… Sorry…" Oz replied with a deepened and lowered tone. "But I can't. Let me go and no one has to get hurt…"

He'd hesitated to answer. His smirk and composure were already lost. Considering the circumstances of him being backed into a corner, it was expected. But once he did respond, the black rabbit took an unknown defensive stance.

Alan expected resistance, but this seemed to be desperate from the unarmed individual. Requesting they let him go was one thing, but as he'd already readied himself, as if expecting their denial, Alan could only answer in kind.

He'd brought his sword, but as with the spear, it wouldn't do well to swing such a weapon in tight spaces. He needed to capture the individual, not harm him. With a weapon wasn't the way to go and swinging here might cause him to hit his men instead. Hence the two standing guard at both ends while Alan confronted him.

"This is your last warn—NGH!" Alan didn't get to finish.

Dirt and mud flew into his face as Oz kicked the floor. For a second, Alan considered the blinding a distraction until he made a break for the exits. But as he had a man on each side, it would take their target a while before slipping past either.

He didn't expect a high kick to come following the dirt.

Instinctively, he had raised an arm to intercept. Should it land, Alan planned to grapple and use the leverage to take down the masked Oz immediately after. But as the kick neared impact, it was pulled back, much to his surprise.

Instead, the left fist had been thrown at him. but unlike those thrown with a dominant arm, he saw the incoming left jab as too weak to do any damage. Little more than a flailing wrist not even balled up to cause a hit.

He moved to drop his left guard and slap the left hand away with his right. But that was a mistake. It was then he sensed the right fist hidden behind as the true immediate danger.

Putting up his right arm to slap away the first and moving to intercept the second, surprise gripped him when the weak left jab snapped back and grabbed his vambrace. The grip was surprisingly tight and pulled him in. As Alan tried to tug back, Oz was pulled forward as well.

"GUH!" The second attack he expected to catch slipped under his guard and hit him square in the gut.

"Alan!"

"Stay back!" he coughed the order as he retreated to the wall behind him.

The preemptive strike had caught him off guard in under a few seconds.

Surprisingly, Oz didn't pursue him after landing the blow. Foolish as it may be to let up one's advantage in a fight , he was glad for the reprieve. The fist—no, the palmed strike Oz threw into him struck the corner where his left side met the waist.

The joint section where the body armor and waist guard didn't meet.

'He can hurt me? Barehanded at that?' Standard knight gear dictated that they be heavily armored, but that didn't mean they were covered head to toe in steel plates. His chest area was protected, but the instant he was pulled into the strike, Oz's hit was able to cause an unexpected jolt of pain. 'No, he knew just where to exploit my armor.'

Alan readied himself, wondering just where his opponent found that out. That and the misleading use of two feints to land the first hit.

Alan kicked off and tried to land a direct punch. Normally, such would be considered too simple a tactic. But considering his opponent was already using feints, Alan expected Oz would be waiting for him to do so as well.

So instead of misleading his opponent, he preyed on the fact he was expecting him to.

The punch missed, being swept aside by Oz's left wrist as ducked and lazily moved it aside above his head. That was when Alan intercepted a punch to his side. The right arm was batted aside as Alan tried to take a shot at the side of Oz's face.

The hit connected—or so he thought.

Bodily pulling away from oncoming fist, Oz grit his teeth as the armored knuckle brushed past, tearing at the leather mask before he pushed himself into Alan's guard. From under his left arm, Alan spotted the oncoming gut punch. He decided his next move.

He'd accept it.

"Nguh!" Right as the thrown fist connected with his side, Alan knew that Oz would do so again in the same spot. The punch had hurt, meaning Oz had bypassed the armor yet again. So it was fair to assume that he would repeat the tried and proven attack, especially since Alan had left his center undefended by using both hands on offense.

But it wasn't in vain. As soon as the second hit to the gut struck, Alan's elbow locked the arm and he pulled it in, between his elbow and armpit. It left neither of them free to swing at each other from that side… but it left Oz way open to a counterattack from Alan.

"ORA!"

"GUH!"

Gripping tightly onto Oz's right arm, Alan pulled the young man's shocked face in. Trapped once Alan gripped his left hand as well, the knight managed to smash his head in on the top of the leather mask. It struck right between the rabbit mask's ruined ears, earning a pained groan.

But as Alan had used his own temple as a means to knocking Oz out, he too was lightly stunned. He didn't notice the knee until it was right under his chin.

With both Oz's hands trapped, he resorted to stamping his right leg atop Alan's left thigh guard. The firm plate of metal that protected the knee area made for ample foothold as Oz brought the other leg up and into the underside of Alan's skull.

Lucky for his tongue, his teeth had been clenched shut. Unluckily for every other organ in the head, his teeth had been clenched. The kinetic force of the impact sent shockwaves through it so fast, he thought his neck might've popped.

And with his brain rattled by the impact, Alan could only release his grip. That proved to be a mistake as the rabbit mask used the returned freedom of his arms to grip his shoulder's pauldrons and pull the other leg up for a second knee to the face.

The dual shock to his head had Alan reeling back for air and a brief shaking to collect himself. Oz on the other hand reverted to what seemed to be his ready stance, where his right palm had been pulled back at the ready and the left arm stayed forward again. As if it was ready to guard.

'A bare-handed 'sword' and 'shield', is it? What does that make his legs? A pair of maces?'

It wasn't the usual brawling stance you'd find with a simple fighter, but the strikes had done a good enough job to send his vision blurring. Such results made him wonder if his target's technique gave him some sort of unseen advantage, that or his stats had far exceeded Alan's own. But he'd never known demons as the Strength type. Their race had high aptitudes for all magics, but their mere haughtiness had a lot of them disregarding swordplay and physical conditioning.

As far as he was aware, that is. He'd yet to face any demon on his own. But he'd heard enough about how demons were too prideful to rely on anything except magic.

Then again, the damage of those hits couldn't be ignored. Besides a fellow knight or an adventurer with great prowess, there'd be no other explanation for his hits to hurt an Elite from the Order as much as Oz did him. Alan thought he may have started bleeding from the nose. The cold dripping feeling from the side of his lip suggested a minor cut that he bit through in shock.

Meeting Oz's eyes, Alan noted how flat the expression was under the mask. Gone was the sudden panic when he was found out or the overconfident attitude from their introduction. With the situation as it was now, Alan noted how his target's glances kept roving their surroundings every now and then. That and the occasional darting back to Alan himself. All to keep an eye on his real deterrent…

'… while looking for a way to escape?'

Unexpected for a demon to want to retreat. But the assumption that Oz was a demon was Alan's alone, wasn't it? For all he knew, the strikes he received came from a masked demi-human with some fancy magic artifact. But before Alan could make up his mind on Oz's true race, he flinched. The rabbit masked Oz moved. But instead of targeting Alan, he went for Alan's right.

"Griff!" he called over to his subordinate, but any response was blocked out by the sound of steel rasping against the mouth of its sheathe.

Griff had drawn his blade.

Understandable, as the man was caught by surprise. Reliance on one's weapon during a fight saved many a life when it came to fights as cagey as this. What wasn't understandable was how, the moment Griff pulled out his sword, Oz jumped and kicked the barrel between them, sending the wooden container rolling towards the knight for him to suddenly catch in the shins. With the obstacle used to slow and trap Oz now doing the same for his squad mate, Alan prepared to give chase.

But instead of going past Griff, Oz had kicked off up to soar into the air.

'The marketplace!' Alan immediately ascertained Oz's true escape route and would've tried to catch his foot to drag him back down to earth. But then Oz backflipped midair, evading the knight's outstretched arm by a hair's breadth and instead landing atop Alan's right shoulder with one foot.

CRK

"Nguh!" He would've latched onto it as soon as possible, to at least prevent the rabbit's escape. But the sudden pop and intense pain that surged from the now-dislocated shoulder had him stunned. The added weight of kickoff pushed him down and sideways, forcing his right side, head, and injured shoulder, to slam against the stone wall.

Already delirious from two knees to the face, the added knock to the head was enough to fill his vision with stars.

"HAAAAAAAAAH!" As Alan fell to the alley floor on his knees, Simon, their shield-toting mace wielder that guarded the exit to the marketplace on Alan's left, went on the offensive. "I got—you?!"

_"… __ntus… sulto"_

Swinging his weapon right where Oz would land, what should've been a hit to the suspect's back turned into Oz snagging the knight's mace from the air. A gust of wind behind Alan suggested he blasted wind magic downward to extend his airtime.

'A feat only a demon or acrobatic mage could pull off.'

Spinning in empty space, Oz reached out to grab and use Simon's outstretched mace arm to pull himself in. Just as he did with Alan's earlier interception, it was all to bring himself closer. This time, to land a drop kick at the man's exposed face.

DANG

"Urg!" Releasing his weapon, however, Simon was spared from a boot's heel to the face as he raised his shield to intercept. The metal sheet lowered by a few inches, but the burly man didn't surrender to the weight. Using this chance, he pushed up, attempting to imbalance the owner of the boot. "HAAAH!"

"Tch!" Oz, irritated but not fazed, kicked off of the sloped sheet of metal to land between Alan and Simon. Unable to knock the defender, he was surrounded. It was a good chance, but with the pain wracking his head, Alan couldn't get up in time to pin the young acrobat down.

"Simon, now!" It was then that Griff joined the fray. Distracted by Simon and lowered his guard when Alan slumped back, the swordsman charged. With a downward sword swing and all non-lethal action thrown into the wind, he made to strike at the back-turned rabbit mask.

CLANG

Armed with Simon's mace, however, the strike was intercepted by Oz with a full-body counterclockwise turn. The mace on Oz's left had been thrown up, catching Griff's blade and sweeping it to the right. Oz followed up with another counter and landed a kick to the man's exposed right-forward knee. The metal shin guards may have held, but the man's balance didn't. Unbelievably, the strength behind the kick was more than enough to push Griff's foot from beneath him to behind him, prompting the man to barely kneel with his remaining left leg awkwardly.

"Not yet!" Still, the man's training had him using his left arm strength and pushing up with his left leg to drag the deflected sword strike back up to Oz's left side as a wide arc swing.

CLANG

But the attack was rendered pointless as the mace was swung upwards this time, its head managed to snag the blade and throw it up into the air, disarming Griff and leaving him to fall flat on the dirt floor, open to a bludgeoning by his fellow knight's weapon.

"ORYAAA!" However, it never came. The reason being that Simon had charged in, shield-first to knock aside his comrade's assailant.

"Kuh!"

CLANG

The mace struck the top of Simon's shield, but it didn't do much else. The weapon's head, being a mere studded ball, had little in the way of piercing or slicing. Oz was very much gritting his teeth in frustration now as he was pushed back by his second assailant. "Now you're trapped!"

Or so Simon must've thought. As he pushed Oz back into the wall, Alan bore witness to the outlandish move he'd ever seen.

Oz turned to scale the wall.

"Simon, back off!" Alan's warning came too late.

As soon as Oz struck the top of the knight's shield with his own mace, he'd blocked the man's view of what was going on. That being he used Simon's momentum to help him slide into, then push up against, and finally climb up the vertical stone partition of the alleyway.

Using the mace anchored atop the shield and his left arm gripping it as a leverage, a twist of his body later had Oz pulling himself over the knight. But that shouldn't have been enough to vault him past the armored charger.

_"__Ven… Dissu—!" _VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH

That was, if not for the gust of wind that parted the mist between his right hand and the side wall.

Whatever was spoken in a low whisper was drowned out by the air. The added boost had him up and over the charging knight. Oz released the mace the moment he cleared it and landed exactly behind Simon. Simultaneously, a metallic object landed in his free gloved hand. Alan saw that it was Griff's discarded sword.

The one he'd tossed into the air using the mace.

Alan would've cried out a warning. To tell his subordinate to push through with his blind charge to distance himself, or to simply throw the shield in behind to catch the oncoming blade. Knowing Oz was aware of the chink in the knights' armor, it wasn't far off for Alan to believe he would execute his men, one with his back turned, the other weaponless and yet to rise from his kneeling.

But then, Oz didn't stab anyone.

Instead, he flipped the sword, holding its blade with both hands before swinging it to the side of Simon's turning head. A loud clang to the helmet had the shield-wielder slumping against the wall, slowly sliding down. The same was done to Griff who'd finally gotten back up, but only at the last second saw the pommel of his own sword before receiving it square in his jaw.

THUD THUD

The two men's bodies struck the floor hard. With the mist steadily growing, Alan's view of his men's current states was a mystery. The fact that his vision had begun to clear up after hitting the wall didn't help any at all either.

"Sorry…" Oz's deep voice and sigh cut through the white smoke. "… I didn't mean to go this far…"

For a second there, Alan thought he might've been mocking them again. But after hearing the sound of metal clanging on the earth, Griff's sword being tossed aside, and the distancing footsteps of the assailant, his heightened senses strained to stay alert for long.

Sluggishly, he'd crawled over to check on his subordinates. Both had bruises to their heads, but other than that, they were alive. Just unconscious of the snores didn't make that already clear. No doubt, they would be sporting a minor headache when they awoke. But as it stood, they were gonna make it out with their lives.

"Haaah," relief swam through Alan, shoulders dropping as he laxed his guard.—"NGH!"—Well, one of his shoulders at least. The pain was dulling, but it still hurt. For someone of his skill level, pain wasn't much of a problem. Compared to Commander Meld, his stats paled in comparison, but he was still one of the Elites. Their resilience against pain was nothing to scoff at with their high Resistance stat. Only magic could severely weaken most of them unless they were of the mages.

All the more reason for his surprise to have been injured, hurt, and in severe pain by a physical attack instead of a magic one.

'Strange.' Alan thought as he sighed in relief. 'The reports stated a man capable of wind magic. And yet, not once did this 'man' shown to have a circle to cast a spell.'

Not with the mist. Not with the gust that helped keep him in the air or push him off the wall.

Demi-humans couldn't use magic. And no human could do so without a chant or circle. The suspect that called himself Oz used a chant. Probably. Maybe. Alan wasn't too sure. He knew he heard the guy said something before the wind started blasting from his palms, but Alan was too out of it to comprehend it.

He was sure, though, that Oz _didn't_ use a circle. The casting may or may not have been there, but the circle was absent entirely. That left Alan with only one remaining conclusion.

'A demon.'

Savages who revered an evil god. Blasphemous heretics that existed as the bane to humans. They were beings that Ehito-sama's teachings depicted as sentient monsters. And their hostile attitudes to humans since time immemorial solidified that fact. Creating a society that's sole aim was to annihilate humans, they were an enemy to be slain on sight as they would do the same to humans given the chance.

There was no considering peace with them. A truce, maybe, but peace?

Never in a million years.

That begged the question that plagued Alan at this moment, however.

'What demon would willingly let humans live?'

Ehito-sama couldn't be wrong. He was god. His word was absolute. But this occurrence contradicted that. The knight began to wonder if he really was wrong about simply assuming the merciful escaping young man as a demon.

Shaking his head, Alan tried to forget about it. This wasn't his field of expertise. For all he knew, it wasn't a demon, but a human capable of some form of chantless magic. It may not even be Magic, but instead a Skill to manipulate air.

Still, he'd better report this to the Commander. His leader would know what to do best.

Pulling out a piece of paper from his hidden pouch under the waist guard, Alan held the green sheet marked with a spell circle and an upwards arrow towards the sky.

_"__Soar high and burn. As a sign for help, serve as a guide for those who search, as I command thee, Signal Flare."_

PPSSSHHHHHHHH FWEEEEEEEEEEEEE PAH

The spell slip fired a small burst of sparks and flames into the air, turning to cinders as the trail it traced to the highest point vanished from view with a pop.

As the mist had begun to encompass the entirety of the place, he needed something to call the attention of his fellow knights. With just their one assailant having escaped, there was no need for the other four to waste their time wandering the slums. That and he needed to get the two he had with him some medical attention. Luckily, the spell left a trail of green smoke back to its caster's position. Having fired it into the sky, any of the order who joined their escort know where to look and why even if the smoking mist shrouded the entire slums.

'I should really thank Nagumo-sama for such an ingenious communication method.'

"OOOOY!" The sound of someone calling caught Alan's attention. It wasn't his other knights as it came from the marketplace, but it sounded friendly. Non-threatening. "Anyone in there?!"

"Over here!" Alan cried out. The pain of his arm prevented a wave back, but then again, the foggy air had already made it a moot attempt.

"Tch. Can't tell who it is." "It's too clouded." "Isn't that your—" "Shush." "What? I'm just stating the obvi—" "Right, right, enough. Here. Use this." "Thanks."

An argument seemed to play out from the other side, but after a while, Alan thought he could hear chanting.

_"__Oh, wind, gentle and strong, blow away the shroud that obscures my vision, as I command thee, Blast Breeze!"_

Alan had to use his uninjured left arm to cover his face as the dust and clouding mist was blown away. The magic spell, having only been meant to carry away the impurities of the air, didn't do much else. But as he sat on the alley floor against a wall, the dirt that flew up nearly got in his eyes. Squinting, he could barely make out the faces of those who spoke. Maybe it was his injuries, or the dirt, but he was immensely relieved the moment he recognized who it was.

"There. We can finally see—Eh? Alan?!" Footsteps quickly approached as the person skidded to a kneel near the knight. His clean leather pants and boots were dirtied by the alleyway's road but this person was too modest to care when those he knew were in trouble. "Alan! What happened—your nose is bleeding? What—"

"Yamamoto-sama, I appreciate your…Ngh!... concern but," Alan groaned a smile to reassure the worried-looking Apostle. "Could you please… take care of my men first?"

"But you're bleeding—?"

"Heh, this is minor. Just had a little run-in with a thief with a good kick." Interrupting, Alan appreciated the concern. Truly, despite still recovering from his own mishap, the kind Apostle had the heart to worry for a mere soldier as himself. "Griff and Simon, they'll need your help more than I do. Please, Yamamoto-sama. This little bruising is… nguh... it's nothing. I'm more worried about them..."

The upbeat expression he tried to give the Apostle must've been struggling, but biting his lip, Yamamoto-sama nodded with a determined gaze and hopped over to the other two.

"Hajime, relief spell on Alan. Keep him still, nose up, and apply first-aid treatment. Kousuke, with me."

"Alright!" "Mm, got it."

Seeing the trio of boys move, Alan felt his guard drop slightly. He'd worried that they ran into the would-be demon as they came from the same road Oz ran towards. But then again, rabbit-masked Oz was looking to escape, and whatever his objectives were, it didn't seem to be the Apostles themselves.

He couldn't be sure that was the case. Guesswork was never one of his talents as a knight, but having observed his most recent target, all the questions left him too doubtful to do anything _but _guess.

_"__Transmute."_ The ground beneath him didn't shift, but Alan noted the new etchings on the floor as Nagumo-sama activated his Synergist Skill. "Are you alright, Alan-san? You look pretty beaten up."

"Nothing to worry about, Nagumo-sama. All in a day's work as a knight. Just didn't expect to have to chase down a thief during a quick break."

Sure, a 'thief'. Better that then let the Apostles know of the presence of a would-be demon. Though it made him feel bad to lie to such honest and kind people, Alan didn't wish to panic them. He understood that they were summoned to fight the demons for the human countries, but to have the unprepared children know that their enemy was already here would do nothing but send them into a panic.

Yamamoto-sama especially, seeing as his god Anima was overprotective of her children. Should he come to know of the assailant's possible identity… well, Alan didn't want to know how he would react. In fear, maybe. But the likeliness of him actually laying down his life for the rest to escape was high as well, if his first encounter-gone-wrong on the journey here was anything to go by.

Such a pure and kindhearted soul, Alan couldn't bring himself to trouble it further.

The Synergist didn't seem to believe him however, what with the furrowed brow he was making. But before he could try to reassure Nagumo-sama again, the Apostle had already chanted and cast the relief spell. As the magic circle lit up and sent a warm feeling through the knight's body, he didn't feel the need to remain alert.

He still should've. He knew Oz wanted to run. As it seemed, escape was the only thing he prioritized. But there could be a chance he'd spy on, and maybe even target, the Apostles next. He'd need to protect them as well, no matter his own condition. But with the spells effects taking hold, he couldn't keep up the vigilant act.

Had he though, he would've noticed how Yamamoto Eichirou-sama's expression had morphed from plain concern to a mix of strained frustration and remorse.

"Just hang on, Alan. We'll take you to a doctor as soon as possible!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Yamamoto-sama." Lightheaded from hits to the skull… or was it the spell, Alan blurted his true thoughts. "You really are a Saint…, having such concerns for a mere soldier… such as myself."

"Don't sell yourself short," the boy snapped. "If anyone should be thanking someone, I should be thanking you. You and the other knights kept the rest of my friends safe while I was out, didn't you?" The humble Saint responded with a worried grin. "And don't thank me for basic first-aid. I don't deserve such praise."

Alan could only chuckle. To have someone as holy and divine as Ehito's chosen people remain so modest… While he did like Amanogawa-sama's enthusiasm, confidence, bravado, and more, the down-to-earth humility of Yamamoto-sama never ceased to bring a smile to his face. It reminded him of his roots as a humble recruit, before he even joined the elite knights of the Order.

"Truly, Yamamoto-sama. I'm grateful you came."

Relaxed as he was by the relief spell, he began drifting off to sleep. With his mind at peace, and his senses dulled, he never got to hear the Saint's mumbling whispers.

"… I wish you hadn't…"

* * *

Meld wasn't happy with the current situation. In fact, he was having a headache.

It was expected of the commanding officer of Heiligh Kingdom's Knight Order, though his deputy may have something to say about that as all Meld's paperwork had been dumped—ahem, relegated to the poor sap.

Still, he had a lot on his plate regardless of documentation and records management. It ranged from organizing security of important personnel to hunting down, arresting, and, sometimes, eliminating potential threats to the state. Be they bandits, criminals, runaways, insurgents, monsters… or even demons, all of that fell under his jurisdiction. So long as the main context was eliminating said threat, it was within his field of expertise, and thus, his jurisdiction.

Receiving a report from his men not three hours after arriving to town, however, he wished he didn't have said job.

"What's bothering you now, Commander?" sitting quietly to the side, Reed was handling paperwork. Though it was for the Order's needs, they couldn't just commandeer the garrison's infirmary and interrogation room for their own use without the proper procedures. Of course, having always thrown—ahem, consigned such things to his deputy, Meld would've taken too long to fill in the details. Hence his subordinate's etching away at parchment. "Is it about Alan and the others, Sir?"

"Not him. His report." To any, it may seem Meld was being callous about his men's condition. But no one from the Order would think so. "I can't decide if he's serious or maybe had his head hit one too many times."

"The doctor would argue that his head trauma seemed far more severe than he let on." Reed signed the last line before rolling up the document. "So much so that had Yamamoto-sama and the others not been nearby to respond to the signal spell, it might've been worse."

And Meld had to thank them for that. Hajime, despite being of the production and crafting category, was able to create the perfect solution for communication during emergencies.

With the added ability to control not only the colors used by the spell, but also the sounds, duration and more, all soldiers in the area could be informed of the emergency message as soon as they saw it. All they had to do was prepare a predetermined meaning for each combination beforehand.

As it was an unfamiliar system, by Hajime's suggestion, they'd gone with green for 'rendezvous', yellow for 'caution', red for 'emergency', and even black for 'avoid at all costs'. Helpful and simple as it was versatile, that it came from the boy made it all the more apparent how Meld may have underestimated him before.

Then there was Eichirou's on-point healing. The doctor was right to assume that it would've been worse. According to the boy, Alan had been lightly delirious, unable to maintain eye contact, and seemed to have had his face turned into swelling mess.

"If it really was just a 'human capable of no-circle magic', that would hardly explain the strength used to inflict his injuries."

"That's exactly why I can't calm down, Reed!" Slamming his hand to the desk, Meld's glare met empty air. His frustration wasn't aimed at his subordinate, but instead at the forces at work and unseen. The knight merely redid the ruined wax seal he was attempting to stamp atop the rolled-up parchment. "If this was a demi-human, maybe it would be linked to the one we found last week. But if it isn't, this is going to be another problem to deal with."

And a big problem it was.

First, a ruined carriage with demi-human cargo. Cargo that the Church had _explicitly_ banned from circulation near the Holy Temple and, by proxy, the capitol for fear of the non-human slaves 'tainting the eyes of the Apostles'. While Meld didn't at all care about that, he respected the Pope's decision.

It was the fact that the carriage had been attacked by monsters so close to the capitol that worried him.

Monsters were beasts that relentlessly hunted humans, but they still acted like animals with their own territories. They roamed and migrated, sure, but only to hunt people when no one was around. They never strayed too far from their regular hunting grounds and always came into conflict with local wildlife when they overextended.

The forest they were in on that day wasn't so much as disturbed. With the exception of the carriage and its slaughtered occupants, his men were even able to find local game and a few predators unbothered by the _horde_ of Dire Fangs wandering their habitat.

'Monsters roving too close to civilization while unnoticed and now strange behaviors in the local wildlife…' Meld wasn't a scholar of the latter, but he knew something was off when his gut clenched at the thought of both things happening at once. 'What kind of madness is it if nature wasn't so much as bothered by those things?'

Honestly, Meld didn't want to know. The residents of this world rejected and abhorred monsters precisely because they were anomalies caused by animals absorbing to much magic, turning a simple beast into a mindless killer. It felt like an omen for nature itself to tolerate them. An ill one at that.

The only possible explanation to that was either the Dires just got there that very day and had yet to cross the territorial boundaries or that suddenly a large pack of local wild wolves all turned into monsters and therefore owned the territory to begin with. Whether that meant demons could now manually create monsters at will or something else lurked out there that could was up for debate.

"Should I inform the palace then, Commander?" Getting up from his seat, Reed had made to grab a new piece of parchment from the nearby shelf. "I can write up a status report and have it sent to the king by horseback in a few minutes. Handing the documentation for the interrogation room can be done later."

Reseating himself with a grimace, Meld tapped the hardwood table several times, lost in thought.

"… Send a report to the palace," he said after a moment of silence. "But leave it 'inconclusive' and note that I've had the men start organizing a search for the escaped suspect. As for the first incident, inform them that we have a witness and plan to interrogate soon, and that of Eichirou's case. Since he's up and about, there won't be a panic for his condition."

"I believe the royal family will be both shocked and relieved to hear of it."

"That they will."

"Break-sama might just actually react for once as well."

A rare joke from Reed had Meld scoffing, "As if that old coot cared for anything other than his research."

"But you would have to agree, Commander. It would make for an interesting sight."

Meld smirked slightly, imagining the chaos that would ensue should Reed not include the boy's recovery. Eichirou had been getting along famously with the Princess, sure. But having seen his King, Queen, and a whole lot of others in the boy's company, sharing tea, stories, and even lessons every now and then, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that concern wouldn't be limited to just Liliana and the royal family. His subordinates took a liking to the Apostles but a lot of them and the palace servants owed him for saving their lives too. Even the stiff and study-hungry court mages might've had a few shocked reactions or prayers for speedy recovery to add.

'Not that Ishtar-sama would even care' went unsaid. While he wouldn't entertain the idea that a prominent figure of the Church of Saints would celebrate Eichirou's demise, it was hard to argue he wouldn't be indifferent. 'Well, at least, the King and his family would be relieved for his sake. They at least like him enough to worry for the boy—'

_'__I worry for my student…'_

Meld's thoughts were interrupted by the small woman's words in his head. His expression dropped, as did his mood.

"Yamamoto-sama's state aside, what of the investigation on our mystery man, sir? Do you really believe we will be able to find clues on him?"

Thankfully saving him from deep thought, the double inquiry had Meld sending his most quiet soldier a curious glance. From how the man was already working on the report from behind the desk, and how casual he'd asked, it was a personal curiosity that urged him to and nothing more.

Rare for Reed of all people to ask for opinions. He was usually more straight-laced and limited exchanges to asking for orders or giving reports. But then again, one of his closest brothers-in-arms was beaten severely, so maybe he found it easier to cope by cracking jokes or just talking. Meld certainly wasn't bothered by it at all. He actually preferred his soldiers to be casual with him as he was with them.

He certainly preferred this personal worry and concern over a pragmatic cold-hearted approach.

The life of a Knight Commander was already troubling enough when It came to official business. He very much wanted to avoid the stifling atmosphere the job brought him all the time. It reminded him too much of the burden he was given to lead others.

'I'm getting distracted again.' Meld shook his head. Both to answer his subordinate as well as bring himself back to reality. "I don't think we will, Reed. Not with what we already have."

"'A male who was well-dressed in all-black and wore a similarly black leather mask.'" Reed repeated the report sent over by his subordinate delivered via the garrison's courier from memory. "Going by Alan and his squad's description, he looked to be a noble with how proper his attire was. He apparently spoke politely as one would too."

"But that's all just surface level details." Meld interrupted as his finger tapping persisted.

Fast, shrewd, and could fight the three of the knights head-on. Not to mention, his magic and strength that managed to beat back one of Meld's best men. All without using a weapon besides their own.

That suggested an individual who had learned to fight with whatever they could use, be it an opponent's weapon or his own fists. A versatile fighter with deceptive but excellent physique and a strange martial art technique.

Meld would've started checking in with the Adventurer Guild for assistance as that was the only other place such a strong individual would arise. Unlike an average soldier who trained alongside keeping the peace and a few bandit skirmishes, an average adventurer fought for their life almost in a daily basis.

Monster hunting was hardly a taxing job when you believed the opponent mindless, but it wasn't an easy occupation. Compared with soldier work, those regulated mercenaries encountered far more unknown dangers out in the wilds. Basic herb gathering could end in an ambush by Pit Vipers and even escort work could be hounded by packs of Dires for days. Thus, they had far more need to adapt and learn, with more opportunities to raise their stats to more noticeable levels.

Should such a person be capable of going toe to toe with knights, they would've had to earn a livelihood by adventuring. That is, unless they were a purebred criminal.

"Anything from the gates to report?"

"None, sir. The gate guards have yet to report any who match the description leaving town." Reed was already stamping a seal on the status report as he answered back. A rare wince escaped thee man as he added. "Not that we would find anything when our only account states 'a young male with a lean build and of a well-educated upbringing'. Even if that were the case, I doubt such a person would reveal their identity so easily, sir."

"You're not wrong." Meld grit his teeth. 'Even if we try, we won't find an unknown man without much else to go about.' Stopping his finger-tapping, his eyes loomed over the other end of Reed's desk. Atop of it was the only piece of evidence they had.

A ruined leather mask.

Alan had described it as a roughly handled rabbit mask that had been torn and muddied slightly. What they found was barely leather and mostly charcoal. One of the ears had been torn clean off. The other was already ash. It's eye sockets weren't even whole anymore. Like the owner decided to pry them apart, before stamping it into the ground as it burned beyond repair.

The only evidence and clue they had was no longer recognizable as its original form. Should they try and search for the vendor that sold it to their suspect, they'd find nothing but dead ends. Or frauds that try to assist for a 'small price'.

Expression wrinkling in distaste, Meld tried to think of other possible leads. "How are the two civilians that Alan found?"

"A soldier assigned to the garrison they're sheltered in came by around half an hour ago." Handing a note with a broken seal, it was obvious Reed had already gone over it, but presented the document, nonetheless. "Both are locals of the town and had been involved in a bit of an incident before Alan attempted to have Oz release them. From their testimony, they'd been heading home until they were attacked by four adventurers who had a grudge on the younger child."

"Undisciplined rabble… to target a child…" Meld's mood soured further, but more with the usual annoyance at what the profession normally brought than anything else. Reading the parchment with one hand to hold it up, Meld continued. "'Four adventurers, one of which declared himself a noble…'… Hm? But none were found at the scene?"

"Not a single one, sir. Instead, we found a large hole, dug into the center of the road though." Reed's quick response must've been that he'd already confirmed the details with the messenger. "The others of Alan's squad had reported seeing four supposedly dismembered heads, one of which still spoke. The two witnesses pointed it out as the noble during their testimony. They weren't dismembered at all, sir…"

"Just buried," Meld finished. "Are you saying we don't have a spy but a vigilante?"

"Yes, sir." Reed nodded. "The older girl's testimony suggests they were saved by our masked suspect. And should we not believe her, she demanded she be brought to speak with Yamamoto-sama to verify the claim. In fact, she requested she speak with him as soon as she was taken into custody."

Meld's eyes perked up from the document. But before he could ask the obvious, Reed cut him off.

"She's his attendant. The maid named Iselda. She was supposed to take time off to visit family while Yamamoto-sama joined the other Apostles during our excursion. She was among the civilians all throughout our trip."

"And she lives here… Hm, a lucky coincidence." Quite surprising as Meld didn't even notice she was with them on the caravan. But he had been on high alert for the past few weeks for a demon attack, so he may have not paid much attention to the civilians when he'd already had his men run background checks for them. Reed remained expressionless and unfazed as always, possibly because Meld assigned the civilian vetting to him. "True, if there would be anything to absolutely ascertain the truth from her, voluntarily or by magic, it would be Eichirou."

The magic from another worlds may have sounded outlandish too force another to speak the truth. But as magic for misleading one's senses already existed in Tortus, how farfetched was it to believe that Eichirou's supposedly superior god could do more?

"Orders for this matter, sir?" Reed didn't seem to argue, finding no fault in the same conclusion Meld came to.

"The maid, has she been cleared of suspicion?"

Reed nodded "I've had the mages scan for illusion magics similar to those that affected Nakano-sama. She's clean, so far as we're aware."

"Alright. Inform Eichirou—no, wait. I'll visit him myself. I need to tell him we're postponing the interrogation anyway."

"Concerns for safety, sir?"

Meld nodded. "With this 'Oz' fellow wandering about, none of the Apostles will be taking anymore strolls without escorts." Rubbing the back of his head, Meld made to smile wryly. "They'll probably all grumble about it tomorrow, but I'm not allowing them to take the risk."

He'd also have to keep his promise in mind as well. That simple thought had his smile fading almost immediately before taking in a deep breath. Then a loud exhale was released as he made to pump himself up.

"Yosh. I'll pass by Alan and the others on the way. They'll be fine. And since the girl's there, might as well bring her to him myself."

"Isn't it already past dinnertime, sir?"

"I doubt Eichirou would refuse a guest anyway." And Meld believed he fully understood the boy enough to know that. "Besides, he's probably fine with seeing a familiar face."

Maybe welcome it too. With all that's going on, having his trusty maid around might calm him down somewhat. Meld himself knew he could relax slightly with his subordinates. So shouldn't the same be applied to him?

"A lot of assumptions to be making there, sir." Reed had already started cleaning his desk while continuing the banter with a sigh. "Yamamoto-sama's amiable nature aside, I don't think Simon or Griff would appreciate you being too loud when they need sleep."

"I need to make sure they're not dozing off. I don't care if they're injured. No man under my command is allowed to be a slacker!"

"I don't think that's wise. The doctor demanded they rest." Straight-laced as always, the monotone response was followed by unexpected sass. "And no offense, Sir, but you _are_ a slacker. You only need look at all the work you haven't done. Rather, the ones I had to do for you."

"Hahahah. That's right!" Meld could only laugh heartily as he gave the man a pat on the back for being a reliable straight man to his jokes. One can never have fun without another to poke holes into it. "You go on ahead and submit the documents after you pass on the status report. I want you to head back and guard the girl."

"… The demi-human slave, sir?" Reed's voice seemed firmer than the norm.

The hesitation was one thing, but the sudden bite behind the blank expression was curious. Had it been any other person, they might not have noticed. But as Meld had been the quiet man's superior for long enough, Meld new better than to think Reed didn't have a few barbs.

"The _witness_, Reed."

His eyes observed his subordinate's expression. From the tiny quirk of the corner of his normally pursed lips to the slight twitch of the man's cheek, Meld could tell he didn't want to use any other designation besides her race and status as a slave.

"I understand that you may not want to watch over her, considering our beliefs." The knight remained steadfast and quiet until Meld finished. "But as your superior, you're the only one I can trust with this."

"I'd like to file a complaint, sir."

"On what?" Meld asked.

"You pushing too many duties on me," Reed flatly stated.

"I can't help it," Meld's eye twitched slightly with a deep sigh.

In reality, Meld really couldn't help dumping all the tedious tasks to his subordinates. He had too much to think on and little time when he was enacting his duties. It had actually grown into a habit by now. But as the younger knight had pointed it out, Meld noticed something off about his subordinate.

This was the first time Reed had been so vocal in one sitting. With everything going on right now, it may have been expected. But he really couldn't have the one bastion of normalcy he expected to stay firm to join the long list of things that troubled his already burdened self.

"With Alan out of commission for a while, I can't ask the other knights to do this for me. Then there's Eichirou's request on respecting her gender—" he noted the expressionless mask wince slightly in annoyance. "The point is, I only brought the two of you, my most trusted knights, on this job because of the need to keep an eye out back at the capitol. Until Alan's back on his feet, I need you to take over some of his duties while were here in Horaud. For the time being, please just bear with it."

"…"

For a while, all was silent.

"…"

"…"

Neither talked, nor moved.

"…"

"… Understood, sir." But with a great sigh, Meld felt himself relax when the knight relented. "If I may ask, however?"

"What is it?" resisting so much to pinch the bridge of his nose, Meld let the man speak his mind once more.

"Why is it that Yamamoto-sama insists on protecting an inferior race?"

Meld had to take in his subordinate's question as well as his present expression. Reed had rarely shown emotion. Or when Meld had seen him each and every day. To have that same man wearing an expression between a mix of frustration, confusion, and a slight hint of anger, it was enough for Meld to question.

"Why do you ask?"

"I… It's…" Reed, rarely the hesitant, hesitated.

Sensing it as a personal reason beyond mere beliefs, however, Meld decided pressing wasn't the best solution. Friend as he may be to his soldiers, he never went beyond offering advice or asking if they need to talk about it. By Reed's expression, asking him if he needed a drinking partner was out of the question.

"Haaah, I wouldn't know the reason myself, other than his god willingly taking in the weak and helpless." Meld shook his head. "But as the girl's survival is needed to figure out why we have monsters wandering so close to the capitol, I'm willing to cooperate with Eichirou in keeping her alive. And safe."

"You'd allow her near the palace?"

"Not that far, no," Meld shook his head, not wanting to offend the royal family or the Church either. "It's not that I accept her. For all we know, she could be a spy sent to assassinate the Apostles." Not that he would let it happen, lest a demanding woman pin the blame on his carelessness. "But she stays, out of harm's way and treated respectfully as any human witness would be. Remember. She's here out of necessity. Until I can ascertain all the possible answers, I can't have her removed so easily."

Reed seemed to deflate at that, but his frustration had yet to abate if his clenched fists and hard stare were any indication.

"Haaah. If you want to know so badly, then go on and ask Eichirou. He's the only one capable of answering your question." Turning his back to the man with a sigh, Meld signaled for the end of the conversation and his leaving the knight to accomplish his orders. "He has his reasons, but I have mine. I hope you understand and do your duty."

"Sir." Hearing the sound of boots tapping together and the clink of armor, Meld's gaze met a stern salute. Reed had reverted back to his usual self. But with how lost his gaze seemed, Meld wondered if the man was actually alright.

With the thump of the closed office door behind him, Meld marched alone to the garrison's barracks where his men should be.

All the while, he stewed in his own thoughts.

The monsters' proximity to the capitol aside, this 'Oz' character was going to be a real problem. Unknown affiliations and no defining features to note besides the demon-like ability to use magic at will. Meld might as well have himself a spy.

His tongue clicked in annoyance.

'And the Apostles just had to be here as well.'

As the Apostles needed to dive into the Labyrinth in two days' time, not having this town fully secured was concerning. Worst case scenario, a demon had arrived and was planning a sabotage or an assassination.

'If he was proven to be human, that would've been fine.'

Human criminals amounted little to no threat at all when the Knight Order were accounted for. With nearly a hundred men and the cooperation of the local guards, Meld had an entire company's worth to keep an eye out for human enemies.

But demons were another case.

DAK DAK DAK

"It's me. I've come to see my men." Arriving at the entrance to the infirmary, Meld nodded in acknowledgment to the militia guards posted by before announcing his presence. When an elderly voice beckoned him to open the door, he did just that. "So, how are they, doctor?"

"Well, given that one of them hasn't so much as laid down until the Apostle-sama slapped him with a calming spell while the other two slept like logs since arriving, I'd say your boys doing great." A man about as half as tall as Meld, mainly due to the slight hunch brought about by old age, approached with arms crossed behind his back. The smiling wrinkles he had riding up his cheeks masked the weariness of the eyes behind them. "Nice to see you again, Commander Meld."

"You as well, Doc Krauter." Meld shook hands with the man. Comparing arm strengths, he should have had to take it easy. But anyone would be surprised at the hidden grip strength the doctor had for being a former Knight. Meld wasn't. High as his stats were, the elder was no way inferior besides his old age. "It's been a while. How long I wonder?"

"Around five years, I believe. You were all dispatched to deal with the monster spill from the Labyrinth." The doctor returned the shake with a nod before putting both hands behind him. Urging Meld to walk with him, the Commander followed behind with a measured gait. "Though, I do wonder, what sort of luck does the Order have if the first time I meet you and your boys again in a long time is in my clinic with another set of injuries."

"Not much good luck right now, no." Considering their new suspected spy/demon problem, it might've been more of a bad omen.

"Heh, you're at least lucky the boys' have been treated before getting here. Now he can get an early nod-off, well, if only he _would_ nod off," the doctor replied with a click of his tongue but made to answer Meld's unspoken question. "One of your kids is being thick-headed… as usual. I see the lad hasn't changed. You all haven't had much rest since you just got here today, have you?"

"As of right now, I have the rest working on a new set of orders. Resting comes later."

"Rest is needed." The statement was firm but wasn't pressed. Though he was but a local doctor now, the old doctor knew his word was law and that Meld wouldn't so much as dispute it, that is, unless… "I take it that means you're already busy investigating the reports your boys sent you. Or not. How's Jose doing? Or is it his protégé this time?"

"Urgk!"

When Meld reacted to the latter, the doctor gave a warm chuckle. "Still pushing the young ones to do your deskwork, I see. Hahahah," The old doctor laughed aloud, seemingly enjoying Meld's slight reactions. "You were always the type to run around trying to make sense of things in person. Your subordinates and colleagues always had to keep a leash on you, but I guess now that you're commanding officer, that's impossible."

"You know me too well."

"That I do." The old man smiled nostalgically. It later vanished, replaced by a serious calm. "I know well enough to tell that this little incident of yours isn't just a _little mishap_. If you're actually raring to get them off their ass, it either means you're bored or it's that serious."

"You could tell, huh?" Meld's hand instinctively went to rub the back of his head as he sighed.

"Your face says it all, lad." Hiding a knowing smile beneath the graying beard, the former healer of the Order looked over his shoulder to stare at the young Commander. "Might've fooled the brats, but it's too early for you to fool one of your mentors. I taught you how to stay calm in front of the panicked, didn't I?"

He wasn't wrong. Apart from staying calm during an emergency, Doctor Krauter Grunes more than taught him how to be civil as a knight, and stay on the right mental track, should he need to get through whatever troubled him. Different as their fields may be, the old timer had more than enough experience caring for the injured to share notes with one who cared for his subordinates.

However, the timing was all too convenient to even be considered a joke. Even now, Meld worried whoever was out there were making their plans to remove the Apostles. If the Oz character was easily able to take out four adventurers as stated by the maid's testimony AND his elite knights, how should he go about protecting almost thirty Apostles against more of Oz's caliber?

But now wasn't the time to worry about that, wasn't it?

"Oy, what the hell are you doing out of bed, brat?!" Raising his voice to call down the hall, Doctor Krauter made to approach the nearest bed, of which the occupant didn't even seem to want to lie back. In fact, he looked to be trying to escape said bed. "Do I have to kick your ass to get a point across?!"

"But, sir—Doctor Grunes, I'm fine enough to move already! See—?" SMACK "OW—!?" SMACK "AH—!" SMACK "Doc—!"SMACK "AGH!"

"Well?" the doc repeated. "Do I?"

"Alan, sit down for now." Meld decided to step in before the doctor decided knocking his man down with a kick would be the better option instead of whacking him with the back of his hand. "That's an order."

"EH? But—Understood." At the threat of another raised hand from the nearby doctor, Alan conceded and sat back down.

With his compliance, Doctor Krauter gave Meld the rundown of his men's injuries. No bandages were needed on Alan, or even the other two still out of it. All open wounds and bruises were taken care of.

But they couldn't discount the risk of head trauma, hence his needing to rest. That even the Apostle had warned the doctor about the same showed Eichirou too was aware of the possible repercussions of not getting some rest. He'd gotten the gist of the injuries from observation and what little Alan had mumbled before falling unconscious a few hours ago, but he'd done his best and that was enough.

Though it was an Apostle's magic that healed his men's injuries however, the boy was wary of the fact that magic wasn't an absolute cure-all to every damage and apparently suggested the rest just as the old doctor had.

"He should be up and about by tomorrow morning." The doctor nodded near his patient's bed. The threat of being hit still present if the elder's keen eyes were anything to go by. "But no strenuous physical activity or the sort. The other two will be fine with just some sleep. They didn't get hit as hard as you did." The old man snickered to himself. "Though, it's surprising you boys could get conked out that easily with a pommel to the head."

"You heard the doc, Alan." Meld, arms crossed, decided to relay his new orders to lighten up his subordinate's mood. "I'll have you stand back on guard duty for tomorrow. Since the Apostles still need a day off from the trip, you on escort is out of the question. It's gonna be guard duty for Eichirou's patient instead. Reed will take your job for the time being."

The man looked like he wanted to argue but held his tongue. Like Reed, Alan had been under him long enough for Meld to understand when he wanted to say something but thought otherwise. Seeing this, Meld spoke to the doctor who had just finished giving the other unconscious two a quick overview.

"Mind if I have a word with him for a minute?"

"Be my guest, lad." Shrugging indifferently with a smile, the old man made to walk towards the door. "But keep it brief. It'll be light's out for visiting hours soon."

"Thank you."

"Thank you, as well, Doctor Grunes."

"Make sure you actually sleep this time, boy, lest I have to explain to the Apostle-sama tomorrow why I had to tie you to your bed," the old man added for Alan with a slight smirk. "Heh, the kid looked so worried, I thought he may even have felt responsible for you three. Think on that the next time you try to get out of bed."

"Er… understood, sir."

And with that, the door to the infirmary thudded shut. Meld sighed in the midst of silence.

"Simon, Griff, I know you're awake. Get up." At first, nothing stirred. But Meld was already aware they weren't as unconscious as they pretended to be. "No way you can pull one over me, you two. I know just how loud the both of you snore. Get your asses in gear, else I make you."

"… Evening, Sir…"

"Ugh… what's up, Commander…"

Perceiving the authority behind the threat, neither remained beneath their sheets. Sitting up, both groggily saluted in the face of their superior. The former doing a better job, but the latter failed miserably as he quickly wrapped his palms around his pained forehead. They would've sported bruises or the like, but thankfully, the only sign of injury was how sloppy and out of it they looked.

"Nice to see you neither of you two are worse for wear either."

"Ugh… But we are though…"

"Now that all three of you are good to talk," ignoring Griff's groaning, Meld's casual smile belied his serious tone. "Let's talk about what you all think of your recent run-in and escaped target."

It took only his change in tone to have their full attention.

While many would consider Meld a fool to be asking for the opinion of those beneath him, there were far more who said otherwise. Of those, he valued the opinion of his mentors and former superiors the most. Among their shared philosophies, respecting the opinion of one's soldiers was the key in earning their own respect for yours. Meld valued his men just as they valued him. Foolish as he may be to the unimportant masses, he wouldn't hesitate to ask what his comrades thought before deciding things on his own.

"What would you all like to say about this 'Oz' character?"

"He's a demon." "Demon." "No doubt about it, sir. With how he fought and the magnitude of his strength, I can't say he's anything but a demon."

All the same conclusion as his own. Even Alan looked so sure of it. Troubling for them to come to the same consensus, however. It only reinforced the worst possible outcome. Another sigh escaped Meld.

"And what would you say is his goal here?"

"Most likely the Apostles-sama, sir." Simon spoke first on this one. The largest of the trio remained calm and composed as he explained his point. "They're the only point of interest that could draw the attention of those monsters here in the first place. Taking them out is likely their only reason for being in Horaud."

And the 'why wouldn't they' went left unsaid. The Apostles were summoned to defeat the demons in the first place. Though many would perceive them as an arrogant race, Meld would never underestimate his enemy.

Should they want to, they could remove the Apostles earlier, while they were weak and ill-prepared.

"Now hold on!" Griff held up a finger to counter-argue his fellow knight. "What if those bastards are actually after the Labyrinth?"

"Aren't the Apostles-sama more of a threat to them?" Simon replied.

"Think about it, Simon. The monsters are already known to be more powerful than those of the outside. If anything, we've already verified that on our own the last time we tried to quell a flood of them. The ones in the lower floors are so dangerous, even we elites of the Order have difficulty taking them on, twenty to one for the big bastards." Looking to his commander, Griff shared the same expression he probably had on right about now. "If they got a hold of the place, we're done for just as well as if we lose the Apostles-sama."

'He isn't wrong,' Meld thought with a grimace.

During their last excursion to Horaud years ago, they'd brought enough knights that it was akin to an invasion of the Labyrinth itself. If the Adventurer guild hadn't prepared enough barricades and people to hold off the escaping monsters, the entire town would've burned to the ground and the Great Orcus Labyrinth turned into an unregulated monster nest.

Add the fact that demons now had the capability to control said monsters and the problem went from bad to worst.

Not only would they and the Apostles fail to obtain the sacred power hidden within, the one that the Pope had instructed him to keep secret should non-believers and heretics start scrambling for it, there was also the endless supply of beasts the demons would enslave and throw at the neighboring towns en masse. Their borders were already strained by monster attacks as it was. They didn't need a horde nest in the middle of the Kingdom.

"What about you, Alan." Meld decided to ask the earnest of the trio who tried to escape his confinement earlier. "You've been quiet for a while now. Got something to say?"

Alan, to his credit, didn't seem to be surprised that Meld thought he would. "I don't think Oz is after either. In any case, I can't be too sure about what to think."

"Explain."

Nodding once, the younger knight made to speak his mind. "When we encountered him, my first thoughts were that he was responsible for killing four innocents. Casually claiming he 'took care' of them, his carefree attitude, and their state of being buried neck-deep in the ground had me on edge almost immediately." Alan took a moment to collect his breath. "Though, now that Iselda-san cleared it up for us, I know I was wrong on that point. He didn't target us specifically nor did he seem to be interested in anything. He may have saved her and her brother, but he didn't bother with much else besides taking out the adventurers that escaped. Other than that, he focused more on escaping us than anything else." He'd paused before adding. "I still believe him to be a danger, however. Especially his abilities."

"You mean his magic?"

"I'm sure it was magic. The power behind it and how Oz used it as a tool when fighting us. When he fired off wind to propel himself midair, it didn't look like a skill at all. I'm convinced Oz is a demon. Unless by a skill, no human could do the same without a circle. And with how fast and seamless he was, I doubt any mere human could do the same without years upon years of practice."

'And demons just so happened to have the lifespan to do just that. Great.' Meld winced. 'Juuuust great…'

"Your report says he trounced all three of you."

"No, sir. He decimated us." Meld could see that neither of the other two made to contradict it. "We may have had the advantage in numbers, but we couldn't match his speed, versatility, or strength. Unarmed as he was, he didn't seem any less dangerous."

"You go that right." Griff scoffed. "I thought you had him with that headbutt. Next thing you know, you were the one backing out."

"Had we not known you for years, we might've thought you chickened out." Simon as well shook his head. "But the kick I blocked was too heavy for someone of his small size. It felt like I caught an entire Dire Alpha in that hit."

"Just his knees to your face had you reeling. Just what the hell was that guy?"

All three confirmed the strength behind the skills. None of his men were pushovers. To have three get beaten back in both power and technique, whoever Oz was, he was a possible threat to the Apostles even if he wasn't a demon.

"But it's strange, isn't it?" Alan's confused voice had them glancing towards his direction. "A supposed 'demon' comes in, kicks our asses in a matter of seconds, but doesn't go for the kill or gloat. Instead, he just ran."

"Wouldn't that just mean he doesn't want to call attention to himself?" Griff asked from the side.

"No, he's done that plenty already." Simon replied. "Sparing us is one thing, but from the maid girl's testimony, she and her brother were saved by that guy. If he really was a demon, it's even stranger to blow your cover by protecting humans."

"Meaning we're either wrong about him being a demon," Meld stated their discussion's conclusion while scratching the back of his head. "Or he _is_ a demon but friendlier to humans. At the very least, he doesn't mean any harm."

"Commander, that's just bull. When was the last time a demon cared for a human being?"

"Never." Pointedly answering back, Meld looked to Griff. "But then how can you explain the fact that a single person managed to knock all three of you down? Unless you let your guard down, or he caught you by surprise, no way a seemingly ordinary person, or even the average demi-human, should be able to beat you, three to one one-sidedly at that."

The younger man didn't reply, but Meld noticed him grit his teeth. His hand massaged his right knee. The one reportedly kicked away hard by their suspect that he was made to drop. Knights of their caliber had high defensive stats ranging from a hundred to two hundred. Unless you had stats equal to or higher, you couldn't push that back, much less cause intense pain.

"Face it. Oz beat you but spared your lives. Remember that and ensure it doesn't happen again. You're all elite knights of the Order, aren't you?"

And yet, all three, downcast and silent, seemed to have been hurt. Both their bodies and their pride.

"Don't let it get you down." Raising the volume of his voice, Meld's grin caught their attention. "If this guy's really a demon, three to one, it's actually a surprising feat to have escaped alive. Normally, it'd take an entire battalion or two to take one out."

"But we lost! Oz was the one to spare us—"

"That makes him a stupid demon then." Meld smacked Alan in the back. Not the head. His back. Though the guy should've been resting, the hit was enough to knock the air out of and some sense into him. Better that than his consciousness, right? "Saving people is one thing. That he saved the civilians is a sign that he may not be all that we assume him to be. But it doesn't change matters. He's an enemy. An unknown. And sparing his enemies is a fool's mistake. Unless he was trying to make friends and failed miserably, this was a loss that you survived and you've all grown the wiser from it. In the battlefield, you wouldn't last long if you spared all your enemies. If he wants to run, let the coward run. He's nothing compared to you three who went in prepared to die yet didn't!"

The air changed. Meld had that effect on people. The more he spoke of their bravado, the more he praised their stubborn foolhardiness, he made sure to emphasize his pride in them. Not by stating it outright, but by conveying it through his boisterous voice.

His second-in-command Jose would probably roll his eyes at the sight of this as it was only he that was immune to Meld's babbling. The guy was too grounded to reality to even be affected by flattery and encouragement. Now that Meld thought about it, Reed would probably be a close second if not for the long list of superiors and ministers. So long as they saw things differently, were too straight-laced, or maybe just not that simple-minded, they wouldn't be swayed by him, regardless of praise or encouragement.

Still, having honed this skill throughout his long career, he made to reassure his men as he would always do. To not let this defeat bring them down, but instead inspire them forward. No matter if it was all just platitudes or empty praise, Meld would always trust and be proud of those that stood under, by, and alongside him. That was no lie. These men, these soldiers, were his family and deserved that much from their leader.

Besides, it was his job to be bothered by their loss. Not theirs. Their being weak in the face of an unknown enemy was never their fault to begin with. It was his as their leader for not preparing them for it.

Meld's scar tingled slightly. But with his fist clanging on his breastplate, he ignored it in favor of his men. The ones sat before him.

The ones who were alive and breathing, right here and now.

"You let me worry about our mystery man's identity and purpose here. You've done your part for now. I should be doing mine, right?" he gave them his signature grin, inspiring confidence, or in this case snorting laughter, from them all. "Meanwhile, you three can get some well-deserved rest. That is until your training drills tomorrow morning."

"Geh! More of that?" Griff balked from his snickering. "Aren't we supposed to be on escort duty for the Apostles-sama?"

"Not with how you are right now, you aren't." With a knowing grin, Meld made sure to impress upon his subordinate the consequences of playing hooky. "I can't let the three of you losers guard the Apostles until I'm confident you can take on Oz again. So it's drills for you and Simon."

"EEEEH? Wha-what about Alan?! How come he doesn't get to do drills?!"

"I already have a job lined up for him." Meld shrugged at the younger one's complaint. "And unlike the pair who got taken down in less hits, Alan's already competent enough to know what and where he needs to improve." With a chuckle, he smugly grinned to the pair's direction. "So. Drills. Tomorrow morning. Until sundown. We've got the time since we aren't diving into the Labyrinth this early and I can leave escorting the kids with the rest of your squad and the town's militia."

"N-no way…"

"Give it up, Griff. The Commander's not gonna let this go." Simon's arms crossed, mimicking their commander as he sighed in pale, yet lacking, imitation of Meld. "And besides, the guy who lost and got knocked out by his own weapon shouldn't complain when the commander himself is telling you to improve."

"I don't want to hear that from the idiot who got disarmed first!"

"You fumbled with a barrel."

"You blindly charged and got knocked out first, hah! I win!"

Meld didn't bother to decide the victor as the pair descended to the usual rivalry. For all his subordinates could do as a team, they were still people that clashed with one another every now and then. Meld didn't bother to break it up. To him, seeing close friends bicker like this was a nostalgic sight.

Even if those he saw were never the ones he remembered.

"Commander, I'm really sorry for failing to capture—"

"Not another word out of you, Alan." Meld gave, arguably, his most loyal lieutenant a sidelong glance. "You couldn't take him alone no matter how many times you apologize. If you had an idea of who he was beforehand, maybe."

"If it wasn't for my incompetence, I could caught him." The young knight still lowered his head, downcast and depressed. "Maybe Yamamoto-sama wouldn't be so troubled so soon just after recovering from his own injury if I just—"

"'Know the enemy and know yourself. Do that and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.'" Meld started. "'If you know yourself but _not the enemy_, for every victory you will also suffer a loss. If you know _neither the_ _enemy nor yourself_, you will lose every battle.'" Finishing, Meld earned the same bemused expression he had given the one who said it to him. "It's apparently a saying from the Apostles' world. While Eichirou was out, I had a word with Hajime about his condition. During our small talk after, he said this when I asked about their fighting method."

"You mean that magical bombardment and the constant use of traps to ensnare their opponents all throughout the journey?"

Nodding, Meld continued. "Hajime's party, and Eichirou himself, are very cautious by nature. You yourself saw how they handled their encounters, right? No charging forward until absolutely sure of victory. And if they can't do that to end it, they'll bombard the target with what they have."

"I think I understand why Nagayama-sama is so content about just standing guard but not why Nomura-sama goes wants to be vanguard even though he's a mage."

"Hajime told me that Kentarou's the odd one out, though. Even he didn't understand why a Geomancer would want to be at the front when his role is similar to but outranges Hajime's own." Sharing a chuckle with his subordinate, the pair continued to observe the other opposite pair as they went from bickering to attempts to grapple each other form their respective beds. "Did you know that they've been reading up about what they could encounter in the library before we left?"

"To better prepare themselves for the future, is it?"

"Indeed. Though I allowed Hajime to use the library so he could make up for what he lacked, all seven of them decided to take the same pace. And though not the same level as Kouki and the others, I can't say they're the weakest or worst of all the Apostles."

Not when they managed to steer clear of danger even when their own leader was incapacitated. They say the best teams worked well even without a commander, but to think they would take it literally and be this prepared for when Eichirou actually did get incapacitated. Meld was impressed.

"But because we got careless and let a Dire Alpha past, the second statement of Nagumo-sama's saying came true."

"That's true." Meld conceded a nod. "But since Eichirou's alive and well, all we have to do is make sure it doesn't happen again."

"We owe him so much, covering for us all this time. I want to repay him somehow."

Meld grinned at that but didn't respond. Nor would he tell Alan what else he and Hajime spoke about, but only because he didn't want to pressure his men any further. He trusted them, sure. But this was something he had to shoulder.

According to Hajime, they were lucky if Eichirou wasn't traumatized when he woke up. The Synergist had told Meld how some people were easily scarred by certain events in their world and that their team were all made aware of this fact. He didn't think Eichirou was that weak-minded of a person. He showed competence in the face of danger. Well, enough competence to lead the enemy away from civilians anyway.

That being the case, what Hajime said worried Meld. If such a mental state was that fragile for some in the Apostles' world, what would happen if there were those in the class that experienced similar? Should they hesitate in combat due to a past trauma, they might end up getting killed. If not them, then the others that try to cover for them.

_'__I worry for my student…'_

Meld winced at her voice yet again. Though not present, Hatayama Aiko's pleading seemed to haunt him. The scar on his chin ached as well with phantom pain and did nothing but remind him of her pained voice masked by that calm expression.

_'__I worry for all of them. I know they won't listen. No matter how many times I tell them to stop and stay back, where they would be safe, they'll just ignore me and pretend it's alright. But it's not. I can see it in their eyes, Loggins-san. They're scared. Just like me.'_

Tell him something he didn't know. No matter what they were, the Apostles were still just children. Hero, Synergist, Saint, what did it matter when they've yet to take a life?

'But wouldn't that be soon?' Meld's logical side chimed in, reminding him of the plan to ensure the Apostles wouldn't back down or falter in the face of true danger. No matter what they did or how they did it, in the end, killing mana-crazed animals they called monsters wasn't the same as killing people.

No matter how much the Church wanted to paint the demons as nothing but sentient monsters, there was hardly anything proper or easy about extinguishing the life of a living being.

'No.' Meld refrained from going there too early. 'They're not ready for it yet.'

'But they should be, in time.' His logical side, the Knight Commander side, argued back. 'For the sake of the Kingdom, and humanity's survival, the Apostles must learn to kill demons. And to do that, they either have to learn how to kill a captive one…' Meld winced. 'Or a human criminal…'

But then what would that do if they were traumatized by it? Meld had seen recruits back away from the soldier profession as soon as they earned their first kill in. He'd also seen those that couldn't get enough after they had their first taste of blood. Neither was a desirable outcome.

Add the power of an Apostle of god, it either became a waste or misused power.

But even if neither would've been what happens, where would that still leave him?

Of course, in the middle of a battlefield, surrounded by friends and comrades, fighting side by side against the demons. And ahead of them, leading the charge would be the Apostles. Leading their attack, their war against their sworn enemies, were _children_ from another world.

_'__I worry for my student. But as you are the one responsible for keeping them safe, I trust you can… no, you will do it, even if it's in the cost of your life, correct?'_

Meld had answered her question as he normally would every time it was asked.

'They're my responsibility. I promise to keep them safe. No matter what.'

_'__I'm glad. As an instructor, I knew you would understand my woes. I as well will do what I can to keep them safe. Let's work together…'_

Her words trailed off as Meld forgot what she'd said. It had taken him just a second to process why she was asking this of him and a second longer to realize he'd answered with the same response he gave so many others before her.

_'__I worry for my students…'_

Meld's eyes closed as he remembered the line differently. He held his breath as the expression and tone remained the same.

The same tone in all their voice. One of familial worry.

_'__I worry for my husband…' 'I'm worried for my son…' 'My daughter, will be okay with her mother. And I with you, sir!' 'Please… please bring Papa back!'_

The same expression they all shared. That of grim acceptance.

_'__My older sisters will be okay under your command, right, oji-san…?' 'Captain Meld, take care of my boys and daughter, you hear?' 'To think that they're needed to fight back monsters.' 'Hah, I guess it's for the best. I'm too old to be of use anyhow.' 'We entrust them to your care, kind knight-sama…'_

The same look they gave him. An ever-fragile hope.

_'__Please. Bring my daughter back safe.' 'Since it's you, we know they're in good hands, yeah?' 'My father trusts in you. I will as well, Commander Meld.' 'Nee-chan's always idolized you, knight-sama! I do too, so… make sure she's safe!'_

Oh, how easy it was for him, Knight Commander Meld Loggins, to repeat the same promises over and over, and over and over, time and time again to the families of those under his care. He'd responded similarly to the young woman, the Apostles' worried instructor, without so much as a second guess as to what he'd just done. He'd taken responsibility for the lives of those he had been instructed to keep safe.

How long would it take before that promise would be broken.. again?

"Commander?" Alan's voice snapped him back to reality. "Something wrong?"

By this point, Griff and Simon had quit with the bickering. The return of Doctor Krauter Grunes went unnoticed by their superior officer as the elder gave the pair a smack to the head each for their rowdiness in the middle of the night.

"Commander Meld?" Alan repeated, the concern apparent in his tone and expression.

"Ah, it's nothing." Meld's casual smile returned just as quickly as the grimace vanished. "It's getting late and I have to bring Eichirou his maid. I was thinking of an excuse to intrude before he went to bed."

"That shouldn't be a problem, Meld, my boy." Doctor Krauter replied back. The knowing look he had hidden behind the warm smile more than told the Knight what the elder had seen that his men did not. "I was heading to the back when I met the Apostle-sama coming this way. No doubt worried for your boys. No worries though, he had a few guards escorting him and I also sent him back. Told him it was lights out for these buffoons," the short elder tugged at the ears of the two patients opposite him and Alan. Releasing the pair of ears, he walked to the door and held it open. "I had him return to the inn with promises of getting you to go to him. After all, it's already late and having the Apostle-sama out during these hours isn't good for their health."

A subtle nod out of the door and Meld could tell the doctor wanted to talk. Somewhere without prying ears.

"Guess I'm overdue?" Meld sighed to the doctor's smirk and nodded back. "Right, sorry about that, Doc. You boys should get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow. You two especially." He nodded to the two still massaging their earlobes and earned a slight wince from both. There would be no escaping their drills. Should they try, he'd have Reed on their tails before the day's end. "Oh and Alan…"

The young knight's gaze met his. A little hardened for all the years of training and service, but still just as earnest as when he'd sent off his older sister all those years ago. From time to time, he'd sometimes mistake them for each other too. Hard not to.

Considering they were family, it wasn't uncommon for one to share the same eyes with a dead sibling.

"If you want to pay back Eichirou, give it up. That kid's stubborn about gratitude and he'll probably just wave you away until you stop." A smile to lift his spirits came up. "But feel free to pester him tomorrow, when we do the interrogation. For now, get some rest. You need it."

The way the boy's face lit up, Meld's scar tingled slightly and earned himself a wince. Not that they noticed.

With the door thudding shut and only the flickering candlelight of the nearby lamp to illuminate his face, Meld, for the first time today, dropped the mask for but a moment.

"Seems like you've yet to master it, lad." Unsurprised by the aggravated expression Meld must've been wearing, Doctor Krauter Grunes gave him a slight pat on the lower back before leading the way out. "Best get it out of your system lest you worry even the Apostle boy. If seeing your men in that state sent him into that much of a panic, your expression might have him more so—"

"I'm fine." Meld interrupted as he ran a hand over his face.

The corners of his eyes that had begun to water was all dried up. The scowl that just about growled was wiped away. And the cheeks that rarely grimaced were set back in place.

The confident and roguishly handsome mask of the Knight Commander, Meld Loggins, was back on.

"Are you sure about that, son?" Meld didn't answer as he walked past the elderly knight-turned-doctor. "Did the fear of losing her little brother bother you that much?"

"…" Hearing a sigh as the elder followed close behind, Meld didn't dare respond, too afraid of his calm failing him.

"Keep that up and you'll end up breaking. For real, this time." Still not getting a response, the elder continued in the silence. "I'm a doctor, Meld. But not a miracle worker. Unlike maybe an Apostle, I can't heal everything."

"Then I'll just have to master this mask you gave me." He spared the man his usual carefree and seemingly-confident smile. "That way, you wouldn't have to worry so much."

"Masks are always temporary, Meld. They're never supposed to last forever."

"I know." He sighed back at the sage's wisdom. "And yet I wonder why you never took yours off."

"Once you keep it on past a certain point, you learn to forget that you're still wearing it." The old man answered quietly at the subtle query but didn't add anything more. Not when they met up with Eichirou's maid at the garrison's reception. And not when he saw them off out the exit.

All the while, Meld kept his mask on. The pain of his scar never ebbing away. Always there. An eternal and stark reminder for his sins.

_'__Why?' 'I trusted you!' 'Didn't you promise you'd keep him safe?' 'You! You killed them! My boys…' 'Where is she? WHERE IS—?!'_

"Is something the matter, Loggins-sama?"

"Nothing much besides your savior, Iselda-san." The man saw that the girl didn't refute it. She may have been aware that Oz wasn't a good person, but as she'd been saved, he couldn't fault her for the conflicted expression. "Not to worry. Neither you nor your family will be in trouble. Besides, your charge won't leave you hanging when you're in need."

"I… hope so…"

Though Meld raised an eyebrow at the response, he didn't press.

He had enough problems already. Another worry wasn't what he needed right now.

* * *

Hajime was troubled.

"Mmm, ripping it open is a bad idea… But then again, I don't think I can replicate it until I've copied all of the circles. Even the ones inside the glove."

He didn't know how to proceed with his work and he currently lacked the company to get some outer-perspective advice.

Normally, he'd either be hanging out with Eichirou and Kousuke, more of the former as they would drone on and on about either their hobbies or magic. Spell theory usually became the majority topic and would actually be of some help right about now, but Eichirou was called out earlier to meet with Meld-san and would probably go straight to bed after all that's happened today.

Getting beat up right after waking from a week-long coma, all the while in a nervous panic, would ruin anyone's day.

On the other hand, Hajime hadn't noticed where their resident shinobi disappeared to. His personal guess was that Kousuke was off amusing himself by observing the romcom between the jittery Kentarou and bashful Ayako. He knew the guy would rather do that than hang around with an otaku.

It wasn't out of spite or ill-intent, mind you. Just that when Hajime was bored, he'd immerse himself in testing what he could of the long list of theories he and Eichirou came up with. Maybe even formulate new ones while they were at it.

Considering all that involved studying, mimicking and finally replicating magic spells on the conceptual level, that would've earned him one bored and unproductive ninja. So instead of having the dude repeatedly asking 'what's this?' or 'what does that do?' and giving the exhausting exposition, letting him spy on two soon-to-be lovebirds ('No doubt about it. It will happen sooner or later. Kentarou-kun just needs to open _his eyes_!') from the comfort of his non-existence was the preferable option to boring his friend.

Right now was one such case as he'd been tinkering with one of the artifacts given to him by the palace and a special one from the Minister of Defense, Decorose-san.

Atop his desk, a slick leather glove sat humbly. It was different from his usual mana-enhancing ones, the pair of artifacts he got from the Church. Those were pretty plain by any artifact's standards as all they did was enhance the user's mana consumption for a spell or skill. Compared to Kouki's armor, the gauntlet alone did the same and more, his gloves felt more like labor gear than actual magical equipment.

'Then again, I_ am_ a production class, so it did fit.' He nodded to himself in 'agreement'. 'I mean, why give the guy who had little to no fighting power a sword or shield when you can hand him some worthless pair of mittens that offer zero protection whatsoever? It's not like he'll need something to protect himself since he's an Apostle! While we're at it, let's give the _big, strong, amazing _Hero all the good stuff. So, you know, he doesn't _die_ too early in the game! Yeah! Great idea!'

Sarcasm aside, he did understand why having Kouki all buffed up and spoon-fed the best items was a strategic advantage. It's not like Hajime didn't get the concept of 'making sure everyone's symbol of hope survives for longer'. Eichirou had explained as much as soon as their gears were handed over and they shared opinions on how to best utilize their own.

Eichirou didn't fare any better. Also getting the short end of the stick, ironic as he wielded a spear, like everyone else, their weapons were just better suited for mana efficiency or high durability. The guy's spear was a hybrid of both but was not much else. He'd hardly even used it outside of training, but maybe that was due to him being out cold for a week.

That all aside, the single glove he had before him was still special. It was slick and clean, but not in anyway visibly appealing. You don't go to a store, see it, then exclaim that its perfect. Oooooh no!

Visually, it was what amounted to the cleanest thing sold in a garage sale and maybe just as flimsy. But despite its physical deficiencies, magically, it was unique in that it had one purpose.

_"__Take this, Nagumo-sama, as a token of my gratitude... And as a form of my apologies. I disrespected and underestimated you, though I had no right doing so. Though it doesn't look much, I guarantee this, my family's greatest heirloom, will save your life…"_

Remembering the old minister's words, Hajime dwelled more on the man's short exposition of the simple artifact's simple purpose.

In summary, it was the one thing Hajime needed to have mass-produced as soon as possible. The effect it would have, especially in a war? It wasn't the perfect solution to that problem, but it sure was the best in terms of a stop-gap measure.

But then came his problem.

That was 'recreating its ability'. To do so was simple in practice. All he need to do was study it, both inside and out. But to do that would require he dismantle it. And, if done wrong, it would end up ruined and maybe forever lost.

According to the minister, it had used to be a set of five right-handed gloves. But the other four were all lost, either by the artifact's ability being overused to the limit or having been damaged. With no other samples available, he was left stuck in a rut.

"Aaaaah, mou! So frustrating…" Tired of considering his problem in a loop, Hajime tried to think of something else while leaning back on his seat. The back legs held as he lazily watched the ceiling. His pencil was balanced between his nose and upper lip like a stiff moustache. 'This would've been so much easier if it came in a pair…' Ah, right. Speaking of pairs, 'Those normies should go explode.'

Finding a topic that didn't annoy him, but rather amused him, Hajime thought to his party members.

He didn't hate his friends. How could he when they were a bag of laughs and fun to be around? But sometimes, certain members of their little circle couldn't get the hint that he, the introverted otaku of all people, could see from a mile away.

'Seriously, Kentarou-kun? Just how dense can you be?!'

All throughout their journey, he'd noticed what the two had been up to. Not seeing them argue over the tiniest of inconveniences was… well, it wasn't hard. With one member down, they took it upon themselves to be wary for each other, just as the comatose had instilled in their training. That all but assured at least one or all of them having noticed the telltale signs of infatuation.

Apparently, Jugo and Kousuke had known all along about Kentarou's feelings. The Heavy Knight took the chance to fill him in during dinner that one time. Said time being when Ayako sat on him to keep the Geomancer still for a whole night… which, now that Hajime thought about it, never happened.

All in accordance with his pact of silence, of course.

Yoshino didn't need to fill him in on the girl's side. When the airheaded member of their team was pushing for her best friend to be so close, no one needed to _tell_ him anything.

All in all, it was a typical romcom. And Hajime was starting to find it boring. He'd seen enough anime to know where this was heading. But since this was IRL, it might just end up more like his mother's shoujo manga instead of the typical harem stuff.

And as it was his mother's manga, he knew all too well that the tsundere gets hurt in the end. With no wingman or moral support to slap both out of their introverted shells, the 'rom' half of the 'romcom' would die in a fire.

Asking Ayako to be direct was out of the question. Hajime wasn't sure if she was just shy or maybe something else but knew better than to tell her to 'get on with it'.

Kentarou on the other hand… he was like that one kid in elementary. The one every outgoing guy used to be. The type that teased the girl he liked just to be noticed by said girl.

'Dumb and stupid, but at least he's trying… I guess?'

Hajime, having no courting experience whatsoever, couldn't really say it was bad. But he couldn't say it was a good thing either. As neither seemed to notice the other's feelings, it was starting to get tiring watching the same argument play over and over again. Like most tropes used in anime romances these days.

'I wonder if we can set them up for a date or something—'

KNOCK KNOCK

Nearly falling back with his leaned chair, Hajime saved himself by quickly pulling his upper body forward. Once resettled and calm, he looked to the door, not wanting to answer immediately.

All that caution training had kicked in and made him a bit too wary to even consider opening it immediately. He knew they were safe at the inn. The amount of guards patrolling around and inside the place should've been enough to assure that.

But still, he wasn't expecting visitors. Not when it was getting late into the night.

Dinner had just finished and Jugo had already handed him back the remolded lump of metal that was Eichirou's Rose Mace. The hunk of ore was now morphed into a rusty brown block so as not to draw too much attention and sat in the corner near the bed, thus eliminating the chances of it being the stalwart heavy knight.

While he was at it, Hajime noted that the ore was neither cheap nor that refined. But with the situation being as dire as it was at the time, he made it work. Served its purpose in arming his friend, Hajime was glad he bought it.

Although, he could've been done better.

Of course, Hajime was not trying to make a mace or war hammer. He'd been going for either a sword or rapier in the theme of a rose. The dashing figure of Tuxedo Kamen—ahem, wrong shoujo series, the dashing figure of Rabbit Mask should've come with the appropriate weapon. But as it was impromptu and an emergency, beggars couldn't be choosers. A hunk of metal turned into a flower on a pole it was.

It worked well enough, but maybe Hajime could tweak it a little and practice a bit more so he could get it juuuuust right next time.

'Ah, I'm rambling inside my head again… I really should get rid of this bad habit—!'

KNOCK KNOCK

"Nee, Shizuku-chan, I don't think he's in… or maybe he's already asleep…"

Hajime heard voices. Familiar ones.

Troubling ones.

So troubling that he considered shutting off his light and sneaking into bed.

Yep. He should do just that.

"Don't be a wuss. Can't you see his room light is still on?"—'Dammit! So much for that idea.'—"And you already promised, didn't you?"

"But what if he says n—"

"Ah, ah, what did we agree on?" A pause, probably where the samurai girl was emphasizing a stare down to prove a point.

"Haaah… That I would try…"

'Ah,' Hajime exclaimed. From the sound of it, they weren't going to go away anytime soon. 'Not good… what do I do?'

"Good. Kaori's so cute when she pouts~~~."

"Mou, why are you so mean?"

"Enough of that. Now go get him, tiger."

"I'm not a 'tiger'!"

"Oh, you're right. I guess it would be more accurate to call you a 'cougar'. Don't worry. I'll stop when you already have a few kittens on the way—pfft!" A few snickers and the not so subtle hissing of the ponytailed girl's name later, another knocking sound came.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Um, Na-Nagumo-ku—"

"Ara? Ara, ara?"

"Wha-what? I'm trying, okay?"

"Not like that, you aren't."

Hajime thought he heard a few more whispers before one of the girls hissed back about something being 'too embarrassing' and 'not doing it'.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Na-Nagu—" "Ara?! Are your really not gonna do it?" "Na—" "Kaori is so mean. And here I am, trying to be her best friend during her time of need." "Mou! Fine!… … … … Ha-Hajime-k-kun?"

"You're so cute, Kaori! Erai, erai!"

'I CAN HEAR YOU!' Hajime would've buried his head in a pillow to scream silently. But unable to even move from his seat, he just stared at the door, red-faced and wishing those on the opposite side would go away. They didn't though. 'Nani kore, kono jokyo? The hell did I do to get such a cliché setup at my doorstep?'

Honestly, he didn't know. One day, he was jumping in to save the class idol, next thing you know, she's a close friend of said class idol. A little too close, but Shirasaki-san's tried to keep it at a respectable distance. More so than she'd ever done before they got isekaied. It was less troubling to have the popular and beautiful girl so upfront and sociable with him now that he knew it wasn't out of ill intent.

But it was still troubling some of the time. Mainly due to how embarrassing it got.

.

.

.

Okay, it was most of the time now that she was upfront and earnest about being helpful. So, yeah, it was really hard not to feel embarrassed right this very instant.

'What am I? Some kind of romcom-protag?!' And here, Hajime thought Kousuke would be the anime-protagonist. Or was it 'eroge-protag'? _'He has the hair for it!'_ or so Eichirou had pointed out, before nearly getting knifed to the side of the head—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Oy, Nagumo? How long are you going to keep a girl waiting?"

And then there was Yaegashi Shizuku. Not only did she stop apologizing for Shirasaki's every move, she started making strides to encourage them. Did he do something to piss her off? She was being nice to him still, but was siccing her best friend on him some sort of indirect guilt-tripping?

'Did Eichirou or maybe Kousuke do something, I wonder?' panic gripped the nervous Synergist as he wrapped his head in hands. His work atop the nearby desk was forgotten. Magic stones, paper with circles drawn all over, and even the super special glove. All that disregarded as the owner tried to reason the late-night disturbance and coming up with a whole lot of nothing. 'Oh god, please answer. Why me?'

But perhaps asking someone who essentially kidnapped them wasn't the best solution. Clapping his cheeks together, he tried to straighten his face out as best as he could. Unlike a certain someone who found it easy to lie or pretend being panicked and clueless, Nagumo Hajime didn't need a mirror to know that his face was stiff as a board.

At least he had an excuse as to why it took so long to answer a door not three meters away from himself.

KNOCK "Oy, are you even awake in there—?" CREAK

"Ah, my bad, my bad, Yaegashi-san!" With a nervous, and embarrassed smile, Hajime opened the door slightly. "I was a bit immersed in testing something that I didn't hear you until now. Sorry!"

'Not a lie. It's not a lie—' Well, it was, but Eichirou did say that the best lie was half-truths. He also said that believing in one's lie was the best way to hide the truth. So he believed he was half-lying and, therefore, was… also telling… the truth? 'Was that how this shit worked?'

"Ah, is that so? Must be something interesting if you didn't notice two girls calling you out so late." Sounding uninterested and seemingly NOT suspicious, the samurai girl who kept the polite smile had a smug look in her eyes that belied the urge to tease him.

'Was she always so bold like this?' Hajime wondered as he repeated the dry-smile-nervous-laugh procedure to force her to get to the point. "W-what's up? Need help with something?"

"Maa, not me per se, but since you're free and here now," Shizuku stepped aside and shoved someone else into her spot before him. "Kora, remember your promise."

Knowing that the last line wasn't directed at him, Hajime still tilted his head to the side. It may work in hiding the fact he sort of knew why they were there. If anything, it'd spare Shirasaki Kaori the embarrassment she was already suffering.

"G-g-g-g-good evening, Na-H-H-Hajime-kun. H-how are you?"

Hajime didn't answer. How can he when such a beauty was stood before him, scantily clad in what was obviously nightwear. Had it been a set of pajamas from Earth, yeah, he would still be embarrassed. But with the culture difference between worlds, 'nightwear' in Tortus showed just a _bit too much_ skin than what a typical Japanese boy in his puberty was allowed to see in public.

So much so that said boy in the adolescence stage had stood stock still, mouth semi-agape.

"Ahem…"

Hajime didn't fail to notice how Shizuku was now standing behind the girl. Unlike the dress Kaori had on, the tomboy still wore her normal garb. He also noticed how she hadn't left them in private. Likely both to egg her friend on with small nudges, like the one she gave when Kaori almost called him by his family name, as well as cue him with her eyes, like she was now glaring at him to respond.

Right about now, Hajime could feel the gaze burn across his forehead.

"A-ah, I-I'm doing okay, actually! Yeah!" Not really, but still. "H-how about you, Shirasaki-sa—"

A cold shiver ran down his spine as he noted that Shizuku was still intently glaring at him. Sharply. Like katana-edge sharp.

In less than a second, he understood what she was trying to do. She'd done it to her friend when she said his name. Why else would she do it with him with the exact same timing?

Gulping hard, Hajime tried again, albeit nervously that he feared his voice would crack. "H-h-how about you, K-Ka-Kaori-san?"

Hajime could feel the redness of his face. To casually call a girl by her name was, as a friend unconcernedly said, 'nothing to get so worked up about'. They'd all done fine when it was just Ayako. Yoshino was still an outlier as she apparently refused anyone but her best friend to call her 'Mao'. And to quote said friend, they certainly 'served as a poor example for students' when they nonchalantly referred to their teacher as 'Ai-chan' instead of 'sensei'.

But hearing that from the Japanese boy who knew nothing of true Japanese teenager's shame was like asking a Brazilian for advice on how to perform rakugo! Unless they were taught directly by someone knowledgeable or had first-hand experience with the topic, their opinions and advice was practically moot!

And yeah, sure, Eichirou knew about rakugo, probably more than anyone from the class did, but he wasn't raised with the same values and morals as the standard Japanese teen!

POOF

Anima forgive him for overthinking the first moment he ever called a girl by her first name so familiarly and intimately.

'Eh?' But as Hajime's eyes observed the person before him, he noted that she too was as red as a tomato. Maybe even redder. 'What. The. Hell—'

"I'M FI—!" She had cupped her mouth in surprise before taking another moment to respond. "I'm fine. Thank you for asking..."

And silence reigned once more. The response was so robotic that even Hajime had to wonder if she was taking this just as bad as he.

"S-say," she started again. "A-are you, perhaps, f-free tomorrow? P-perhaps y-y-you have something planned a-already?"

"N-not really," he'd have liked to say 'yes' right now. As there were more materials available in town to work with, metals and minerals from the Labyrinth had caught his eye, he had wanted to join Jugo for shopping before shutting himself in to experiment a bit more. But then again, why would she be asking that in the first place? Hajime's heart felt like it was hammering a taiko. "W-why do you ask?"

She didn't say immediately. For a moment, Hajime thought she had frozen stiff. But a slight nudge by the ever-calm yet impatient—'Is she enjoying this?!'—Shizuku had the girl taking in deep breaths.

After a moment of psyching herself up, which was odd to watch as Hajime still had no clear idea why she was as nervous as, if not more than, he was, Kaori released breath. A determined look took over her anxiety as she stared deep, and hard, into his eyes.

They were far less sharp than that of Yaegashi Shizuku, but let it not be said that Hajime had never been so lost in someone else's gaze other than Shirasaki Kaori's.

The way her pursed lips seemed to smile no matter the situation. How her cheeks, so smooth and puffy, would no sooner release a cute laugh as it would make an adorable pout. And her eyes, so warm, so carefree, so innocent, and yet filled with the determination to do kindness to whatever it had locked in her sights.

How could anyone be mad at her expression? Though Hajime had been troubled, and still was, he couldn't be mad at Shirasaki Kaori for her endearing personality.

"Hajime-kun."

"Yes!"

Called with such a commanding yet familiar air, he could only respond to her as the knights would to Meld. Direct. Earnest. Wanting to please. 'Wait, wha—?'

"W-will you accompany me on a d-…"

The interruption to his thoughts was interrupted as well. By the speaker's sudden lack of self-confidence, of all things. Inhaling deep, she tried again.

"Will you a-accompany me on a d-…"

"'D-?'"

"Da-…"

"'Da-?'"

"Will y-y-you a-accompany me on a d-d-d-date tomorrow?!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

For a while, all was silent.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—' But had there been one with telepathy magic, the owner of said magic would've clamped tightly on their head to quell the mental scream to no avail. '—EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?!'

* * *

Down the hallway, unseen by the three, a pair of eyes watched the entire scene go down.

Observant and attentive he was not. But he wasn't that much of an idiot to not understand what was happening. With all the bandages taken off, as Eichirou wasn't such a meanie to leave him hanging, he had a bird's eye view as he watched the girl steam from the top of her head. Meanwhile, the boy, his newest of friends, had his jaw drop into the depths of the abyss.

"Ohohohoho, nice one, Hachin!" making a wide smirk that would make the devil himself proud, Kentarou rubbed his hands together before turning tail and dashing off. "Better tell the others!"

Off he went, vanishing into the shadows to report his findings. Considering that Meld was likely going to assign them escorts tomorrow morning due to Eichirou's… well, even if he tried to be nice, it was a mess. With that in mind, he needed to consolidate the important people and get them to cooperate.

Initially, he'd planned on hanging out with Hajime. Though they were friends now, he hadn't had much time with the guy since the trip. Slow as he was with technical stuff, he couldn't keep up with all the magic jargon talk the otaku had with Eichirou on an almost daily business.

But why let the lack of mutual interest get in the way of a budding friendship, right? One of his buds already made the effort to clear up their misunderstandings and the other was chill enough to hang around with the guy despite always being silent. Even Jugo was cool with Hajime now. It would be a waste to not build up on that foundation. After all, what were friends for? Lazing about, being apathetic about one another was not on that list.

Having had a lot of experience making friends, it would certainly never be in Kentarou's list at least.

"Let's see, Gochin will need to know. Big doof probably wouldn't notice till someone tells him, and he'll be out shopping tomorrow too. Nice, we have an excuse! Kochin… Eh, he'll probably notice immediately and come along. Eichin's out since he's got his own date… only ones left are..."

For a second, Kentarou pondered whether he should invite the girls. Party members and friends they may be, he wasn't really sure if this was one of those things he should be asking them out to town for. Eichin was the one to ask about tact. Considering how he'd been so suave with most of the ladies, even Ruina-san looked to be falling for him, he was his best bet to not offend the girls. But right now, he was busy downstairs with Meld.

Thinking on it by himself, Yoshino was easier to understand. She'll go along with it if it was fun. Despite the distance she kept between her and the others, she was very forward with things like this. But as for the other one… well…

"Haaah, might as well invite her too." He conceded with a sigh to himself. "If I don't, she'll probably get mad I left her out."

He didn't want that. Oh god, he didn't want that. Should anyone ask, he would respond that it wasn't the reasons they were thinking. No sireee.

With his mind made up, Kentarou happily skipped to his other friends' room. He'd probably need to get Ai-chan-sensei's permission to visit the girls' floor as it was too late into the night, but he doubt they'd mind the disturbance if all they were doing was plan on spying their friend's first date.

So happy and carefree was the lone Geomancer that he failed to notice he wasn't the only one to witness the intimate invite.

From the crack of his slightly ajar door, a lone individual grit his teeth in frustration. The Japanese teen's brown eyes glowered green with envy.

* * *

**_It's not _**just **_a week after… So I guess… it's the super-extreme, really, verily, uber-duper, worst case scenario?_**

**_—_**Quit stalling, Reaves.

**_—_**_Okay, okay, geez…_

**_Firstly, apologies it isn't the Labyrinth Chap I promised. Like how I ruined my New Year's resolution to not be an ass, I have ruined your expectations... by being an ass. I shall henceforth swear to never make promises similar to it again. Pacing is my weakness without solution and, being the retard I am, did you all injustice by making false promises. Thus, I have failed to keep it and hereby vow to never get your hopes up. In that manner anyway._**

**_Secondly, please excuse me and get off my back. I had an epiphany on what to do here and said 'Yeah—nope, not good enough..' and proceeded to burn the previous version of this chap… which was only about 20k words… about 60k shorter than this one…_**

**_This is almost eighty thousand words and no, I could not split this, let alone chop off a few bits._**

**_Welp, new record, yeah? XD_**

**_—_**Who's keeping track?

**_—_**_Shush!_

**_—_**Don't shush me. You were supposed to be the one writing, were you not?

**_TO BE FAIR! I didn't like Horaud in canon. When I needed material for this chap, I went:_**

**_'_****_Hmm, I should reread the web and light novel just to be sure…', *did just that*, 'Dafuq am I gonna do with _**just the inn**_ and the fact that_** thugs are common here**_? I can't even use the adventuring guild much because, ahem, WE AIN'T THERE YET!', *heavy breathing and attempts to chill, *deep sigh of disappointment for lack of material and personal adaptability as an author, 'Fuck it, yeah? I'll do it myself.'_**

**_And that's how we got this behemoth of a chapter. Don't worry, still going to use that particular monster since, if you haven't heard, there's fuck all described in the labyrinth's upper easy-mode floors. Just gonna tweak the 'how to kill' slightly._**

**_—_**Yay, another delay… great.

**_—_**_Lay off!_

**_That being said, I really do feel bad that I didn't accomplish what I set out to do. With IRL needing to take center stage for around three months or so, I only had maybe 2-3 hours per day for remaining time to work on this and none of that was spent on proper planning/pacing. Hence this… what was it, arriving in town, early afternoon, to lights out in infirmary, evening…. So I think 6-7 in-story hours in 80k words? Yep. Gotta say, not my best essay._**

**_—_**You've never written any good essays, mind you—

**_ANYWAY, I thought I should flesh out a few people here and there. Wasn't comfortable with how the other parties didn't get much else. My boy Merudo DIDN'T have his scar on the anime but the blockhead muscle-brain gets one… … …_**

**_—_**_WHY? No seriously! WHY? He isn't even a character until that time when he and Kooky-hero-kun decide to join gunslinger Hajime for a bit!_

**_—_**Enough ranting, Reaves. Get on with it.

**_—_**_Stay out of it, Reader! I'm pissed off on how it took 2 anime studios to get the damn show right! I mean, come on! You were paid real money to do one job. ONE job. So how hard is it to redo work that's already done?!_

**_—_**You do realize you took half a year to get even halfway done with the source material's first volume, right? Complaining about several dozen people who had a budget AND deadline only makes you more of an ass.

**_—_**_I'm sick of this bull—!_

**_—_**Okay! Enough. Stop being a petulant child and move on.

**_—_**_Who're you calling a—!... Ahem._

**_Back on topic. Went and introduced a few sides and events to give this world a little more oomph than just a magic system, crude race divides, labyrinths that have no other purpose than to be power-granting, high-security, wish-fulfillment storage houses and the bland political mumbo jumbo. Then give some small bits to peeps we all know by now but haven't really gotten much from canon at this point (Did you guys know that Ayako actually feels inferior to Kaori because they share jobs? I didn't. No really. Until I opened the wiki at someone's suggestion, I was not aware of this.). Also put in some set-ups for various future plot points. (This last bit is sketchy as hell as I am not sure how to do so without forgetting.)_**

**_—_**I have advise for that. It's called 'plan ahead'.

**_—_**_I hate you so much._

**_Last thing for now. Already working on the next chapter. Though I make no promises, it _**should**_ be the interrogation, date, and night before the dive. The Dive into Orcus will come. But if I had to do this much for this chap, I might do the initial half + the others for 12_****_th_****_ then save the latter half + consequences (politics, religion) and reactions (personal stuff) in the 13_****_th_****_ chapter to stay consistent ._**

**_13_****_th_****_. Oh how fun that number is. I never planned for it, but to think my beginning arc is ending like a long, overdue, anime's first season. And I've only taken the Arifureta anime's flashbacks, the web/light novel's and even the manga's first chap into account._**

**_God, I'm slow. XD_**

**_—_**That, you are.

**_—_**_Lay off, will you! You're in the same boat._

**_—_**Uh, no I'm not. You're the one who wanted to write this. I just got added in the middle to point out your frustrations and flaws. Also to kick you into moving.

**_—_**_Stop making a scene! Where was I…_

**_Welp, I'm done. For now though. I'll be back. Long chap + long Author's Notes = pained eyes and asses. Take a breather, you grils/bois and I'll see you—_**

**_—_**Reaves. DO NOT make promises you can't keep! We've been over this already. DON'T do it.

**_—_**_Ugh… Fine!_

**_See you all next time. Whenever that may be. :3_**

**_—_**_There, Reader. You happy?_

**_—_**Nope. But better than I expected.

**_—_**_My god! I swear, you nitpick too much._

**_—_**And you aren't consistent. Had I not nitpicked, you wouldn't have done this in time to start the next one before Valentines. You don't even have anyone to share that day with so why bother opting to not do anything that day—?

**_—_**_Shut your face!_

**_—_**Just stating the truth, y'know?

**_—_**_JUST! SSHH!_

**_Oh, one last thing. To the 100+ new people that joined us, welcome! I don't know what possessed you to come here to read this noob fic but thank you. Thank you very much. Your added statistics have done well to boost my confidence. XD_**

**_—_**Oh great. More ego is going to his head… Perfect. :(

**_—_**_Shut up. Don't be a bitch!_

**_—_**Stop being a prick and I'll consider it.

**_Don't worry, 'people-that've-already-been-with-us-since-the-beginning'. Your continued patronage(no payment needed, just views and reviews), has powered my motivation to continue further… and BEYOND!_**

**_—_**Basically, all of your continued presence has pressured him to continue. And so, he struggles onward, all for your sakes. Not that I'm complaining. His pain is my pleasure, after all.

**_—_**_You bitch—!_

**_—_**And that's all the time we have for the year, folks! Belated Happy New Year and Christmas, everyone! Stay safe! Beware Corona! Salute to the firefighters of the Australian Outback. And a genuine Happy 2020!

**_—_**_Sure. The world is trying to kill us this early and there is no god. What a way to start a new—_

**_—_**Shush. Now, hope to see you all again soon… preferably within the year… Reaves?

**_—_**_Yeah, yeah… whatever._

**_—_**This is Reader,

**_—_**_And Reaves,_

**_—_**_o_f **R****_e_****a****_v_****e****_s_****T****_h_****e****_R_****e****_a_****d****_e_****r**, s_i_g_n_i_n_g _o_u_t_ f_o_r _n_o_w_! B_y_e, _h_a_v_e _a_ g_r_e_a_t _t_i_m_e!


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